By Mary Hladky

In maintaining the city’s long-standing emphasis on keeping taxes low, the City Council on Sept. 22 approved a tax rate of $3.68 per $1,000 of taxable property value that is unchanged from last year’s rate.
While the rate is staying the same, it amounts to a modest tax increase because the city’s property values rose 3.8% this year.
Council members also unanimously approved a $559.4 million operating budget, up from last year’s $503.2 million.
The increased amount is due in part to the cost of reopening city facilities temporarily closed because of the pandemic and restoring expenditures for items such as travel and equipment replacement that fell by the wayside as the city hunkered down.
Police department salaries and benefits increased by $1.8 million, fire department salaries and benefits by $2.2 million, and police and fire pension costs by $2.4 million. General and executive employees salaries and benefits increased by $3.5 million, but their pension costs decreased by $171,700.
City Manager Leif Ahnell alerted City Council members to the rising police and fire pension costs in April, saying the pension plan’s investment returns are underperforming the market considerably. The city does not control how the pension board invests its money.
The city is adding 23 new employees, including a second assistant city manager. The city now has two deputy city managers, but George Brown will retire at the end of next year.
Six of the new hires will help operate and maintain the Boca Raton Golf and Racquet Club, a 167-acre country club donated to the city last year by The Boca Raton. Their salaries will total $369,500.
The club will replace the city’s municipal golf course, which will be sold by Nov. 1 to GL Homes. The $65 million the city will realize from that sale is included in the budget, with $7.8 million of it to be used for improvements and renovations at the country club.
The city is slated to receive $12.2 million from the massive $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act, although officials say the revenues the city lost because of the pandemic totaled far more than that.
The city will put $7.2 million of its allocation in the general fund to replenish lost revenue, and $5 million in the capital improvements program.
The city will hire three employees at a cost of $253,000 to implement its new building recertification program, enacted after the Surfside condo collapse, that will require buildings taller than three stories to be inspected when they are 30 years old.
The City Council’s decision in 2019 to continue providing garbage collection and recycling services, rather than outsourcing them to a private company, continues to strain the budget as Boca Raton makes needed replacements of equipment and vehicles and adds employees.
The city is raising sanitation rates 71 cents to $24.29 per month for single-family homes and 43 cents to $14.70 per month for multi-family units. The sanitation rates also increased last year.
The annual residential fire assessment fee will remain at $145 this year.
One looming problem is that the revenue the city gets annually from the Community Redevelopment Agency is about to dry up and officials will have to decide soon how to plug that budget hole.
The city will get a $15 million CRA payment this fiscal year and a much smaller amount in the following year.
When that source of funds is gone, the city faces raising the tax rate, cutting expenses or drawing down on its reserve fund — a move Ahnell does not recommend.
Ahnell has warned City Council members about this for several years, and emphasized it again in a budget summary given to council members and made available to the public.
In bold typeface, Ahnell wrote that once the CRA money is gone, “the city will need to consider alternatives to replace this revenue source in order to balance the city’s budget.”

The Addison Mizner room at the History Museum honors the architect whose designs set the tone for early development in Boca Raton. It includes original furniture from the Boca Resort. Photos by Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

By Mary Hladky

The newly renamed Schmidt Boca Raton History Museum will reopen to the public in Nov. 3 after a complete renovation of the nearly 100-year-old historic Town Hall building.
The $3.5 million project, initially paid for with reserve funds, donations and a $650,000 grant from the city, transforms the entire building and adds new interactive historical exhibits.
The renovation was bolstered in late September when longtime museum supporters Barbara and Dick Schmidt donated $1 million. Mary Csar, executive director of the Boca Raton Historical Society and Museum, described the donation as one of the largest in the museum’s history.
The building’s golden dome has been regilded and the exterior painted a creamy shade of white.
But the big changes are inside, where Csar gave a reporter and photographer a guided tour.
A timeline, dating from the pre-Columbian era to the 21st century, runs along the interior hallway.

With more than 8,000 local employees at its peak, IBM changed the world when it unveiled the personal computer in 1987 from its Boca campus.

Among the events highlighted are the first settlers, the Yamato Colony, famed architect Addison Mizner’s Cloister Inn, the massive World War II Boca Raton Army-Air Base, Florida Atlantic University’s groundbreaking, IBM’s production of the first personal computer, construction of the Town Center mall and the 2001 anthrax attack on the AMI building.
Visitors may well find that there’s city history they never knew or had forgotten.
Does Boca Raton really mean “mouth of the rat”? The answer is yes, but there’s more to know about how that name was affixed to the city.
Rooms off the hallway are devoted to specific subjects.
The Addison Mizner room includes original furniture from the resort that is now rebranded as The Boca Raton and a model of a castle Mizner intended to build on a now-gone island in Lake Boca but never did.
The IBM room underscores the company’s impact locally and across the world. Retired IBM employees donated original PCs to the museum. A recording of a former employee recounts the absolute secrecy under which the company operated.
The World War II room showcases a B-17 in a dogfight and includes the history of radar and U-boats.
The largest room is the former City Council chamber, which now will house changing exhibits and a lecture hall.
The Town Hall building at 71 N. Federal Highway doubles as the city’s visitor center and has a gift shop.
The building renovation became very complicated, delaying the completion many months. The coronavirus pandemic also created difficulties, making it hard to get enough workers and causing supply chain disruptions.
Plumbers found that the building’s cast iron pipes had disintegrated, causing leaks that probably had existed for years and undermined the foundation, which had to be shored up, said architect Derek Vander Ploeg, who volunteered his services to the project.
“We are lucky we caught it,” he said.
FPL discovered the building had an undersized transformer, which explained various electrical glitches plaguing the building. It was replaced.
All this increased the project’s cost, prompting Csar to ask the City Council on July 29 to make an additional $590,000 grant. The city is the Town Hall’s landlord.
Council members were enthusiastic about the building’s transformation.
“We are excited to see this open,” said Mayor Scott Singer.
“These exhibits are amazingly exciting,” said Deputy Mayor Andrea O’Rourke.
But they were noncommittal about providing additional funding. Singer could not recall a time when a nonprofit completed a huge project, paid all the costs and then came to the council for money.
Both Csar and Vander Ploeg said city staff was aware of what work was being done, and why, every step of the way. Both said the project contractor used a competitive bidding process.
The City Council resumed discussion on the request on Sept. 13.
The building’s problems were serious and “could not be ignored,” Csar said. “This was not done without anybody’s knowledge. And it had to be done fast.”
Deputy City Manager Mike Woika said some city staffers were aware of the problems, but no one advised historical society officials on what they should do or how to pay for it.
After briefly considering negotiating a compromise, council members agreed to provide the requested amount.
“We need to give them the money they spent on necessary repairs,” said council member Andy Thomson.

On display in October
What: The Boca Raton Historical Society and Museum’s traveling “HERstory” exhibit runs through Oct. 30.
Where: Boca Raton Community Center, 150 Crawford Boulevard.
Highlights: The exhibit features Boca Raton’s first female pioneers, who came to farm South Florida at the turn of the 20th century. Many were from northern middle-class families, accustomed to electricity, indoor plumbing, markets and department stores.
Hours: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 to 4 Saturday.
Info: 561-395-6766 or www.BocaHistory.org.

By Steve Plunkett

Gone this budget season were irate taxpayers, angry City Council members and robocalls ginning up opposition to a double-digit tax increase.
Instead, the Greater Boca Raton Beach and Park District on Sept. 27 approved a 22% tax hike for fiscal 2022 with no one speaking against it. The increase means an extra $95 in property taxes on a $500,000 home.
“All righty, the final (Truth in Millage) compliance hearing is now adjourned,” District Chair Susan Vogelgesang said to end the 8½-minute session spent mostly reciting a budget summary and two resolutions.
The adopted rate of $1.05 per $1,000 of taxable value will fund a $53.3 million budget that includes $5 million for whatever commissioners decide to build at the old Boca Teeca/Ocean Breeze golf course, $445,000 to add ADA access and renovate restrooms at the Gumbo Limbo Nature Center, and $300,000 to finish the first phase of Ocean Strand park.
The district will give the city $22 million to operate and maintain Red Reef Park, that park’s golf course, Mizner Bark dog park and DeHoernle Park as well as $5.7 million for other capital improvements. Money for maintenance facilities at city-owned DeHoernle and Spanish River Park was placed in reserves.
The city will also receive $1.6 million as this year’s repayment for the Ocean Breeze land purchase and $1.8 million for its Community Redevelopment Agency.
The lack of opposition was in marked contrast to the scenes two years ago when commissioners proposed a 19.4% tax increase. Opponents outspoke supporters 45-19 in 2019’s two budget hearings, the City Council passed a resolution condemning it, and then-Deputy Mayor Jeremy Rodgers spent $400 of his own money for robocalls urging taxpayers to fight the measure.
District commissioners ultimately adopted the same rate as the year before. Still stinging from the criticism, last year they adopted the rollback rate, keeping tax revenues level.

By Mary Hladky

Now that the City Council has given its long-awaited approval, construction of Brightline’s Boca Raton station is imminent. Council members unanimously authorized construction of the station and adjacent parking garage on Aug. 24.
“This has been the culmination of a lot of work,” Mayor Scott Singer said.
“It has been a very collaborative process to come to where we are today,” said Deputy City Manager George Brown.
At the time, Brightline officials anticipated that the work would begin in September, but had not set a date as of Sept. 21. They also expected the station would open in the second quarter of 2022.
The $46 million project will be located on city-owned land along the FEC railway tracks immediately east of the Downtown Library. In 2019, the city agreed to lease 1.8 acres of its land there to Brightline for 29 years, but with renewals could total 89 years.
Work has been completed on a surface parking lot near the station that will be available to library patrons while construction is underway.
Brightline agreed to spend up to $300,000 to move the Junior League of Boca Raton’s Community Garden, which has been displaced by the station. The new garden at Meadows Park will open on Oct. 16 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
The 1.4-acre garden will have about 100 lots available for lease. Ten percent of all fruits and vegetables harvested will be donated to Boca Helping Hands.
Brightline plans a 9,035-square-foot station and a 4.5-story garage with 455 parking spaces. Surface parking will provide another 109 spaces.
Library patrons will be able to use the surface parking and 64 reserved garage spaces. The remainder will be available to Brightline passengers and the public.
A $16.3 million U.S. Department of Transportation grant will help pay for the station and garage. Brightline will pay $20 million of the station cost and the city will spend $9.9 million on the garage.
Brightline halted rail service between Miami and West Palm Beach in March 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. It will resume service in early November.

The clubhouse at Boca Raton Golf and Racquet Club will remain closed until renovations are completed. Photo provided

By Mary Hladky

The city planned to take over operation of the 167-acre Boca Raton Golf and Racquet Club as of Oct. 1, one year after The Boca Raton thrilled city leaders by donating the country club to the city.
The transition of the formerly named Boca Golf and Tennis Country Club to a public facility is a huge undertaking for the city, and officials are still working through many decisions.
The club, located outside city limits at 17751 Boca Club Blvd., will be closed for one month while the city completes an assessment of the facilities. The 18-hole championship golf course will reopen on Nov. 1, with rates of $75 for city residents and $105 for nonresidents. There will be no annual membership fee to use the clubhouse or other amenities.
The clubhouse will remain closed until renovations are completed.
Although the golf course, tennis courts, clubhouse, pool and other amenities landed in the city’s lap free of charge, that doesn’t mean the transaction has been cost-free.
The city has spent $1.3 million this year on equipment that it needs to operate the club and on renovations and improvements.
It has also budgeted $6.5 million for additional renovations and improvements in the new fiscal year that started on Oct. 1. Six employees will be added to the city’s payroll to manage and maintain the club, at an annual cost of $369,500.
The city will use proceeds from the $65 million sale of its municipal golf course to GL Homes, expected to be completed by Nov. 1, to pay for $7.8 million of these costs. The rest of the proceeds will go into a reserve fund.
Jason Hayes, who has managed public and private golf courses, was hired in June to be club manager.
Hayes and city officials outlined improvements that are underway in an Aug. 25 meeting with residents of the Boca Golf and Tennis Club, whose homes are adjacent to the golf course.
“Our goal is to have this be a first-class golf facility,” Hayes said. “It will take us a couple of years to get it to that level, but we are working hard as a team to make that happen.”
Workers are re-roofing maintenance buildings and the cart barn, eliminating weeds on the golf course, grooming the greens, renovating restrooms, installing impact windows on the clubhouse, replacing clubhouse awnings and painting the building.
The main entrance and clubhouse kitchen will be upgraded.
City officials don’t expect to reopen the fitness center. They are likely to close the pool because the $250,000 annual cost to operate it “is not financially feasible,” City Manager Leif Ahnell said at a Sept. 14 City Council meeting.
Changes also could be coming to the tennis center. A consultant will present options, which could include tennis courts only, switching to pickleball courts or a combination of the two.
The only apparent opposition to the city’s plans is coming from residents of the 960-home Boca Golf and Tennis Club who are still smarting because they say they were never told that the new owners of the former Boca Raton Resort and Club were going to offer the country club to the city.
They are concerned about increased traffic and the potential loss of privacy and safety.
Some of those speaking at the Aug. 25 meeting were very unhappy to learn that the pool could be closed and tennis courts eliminated. Residents who are premier members of The Boca Raton have been able to use both.
One woman said her decision to buy a home in the community was based on access to the pool and tennis courts.
Another said she will sell her home. “We have a lot of really upset people,” she said.
“We are trying to make decisions for a very large number of people, not just this community,” said Assistant City Manager Chrissy Gibson. “We hear your comments.”
In a statement to city officials, resident Marvin Weinstein said, “Residents are expressing shock at what they see as a betrayal not just of (premier) club members, but the hundreds of other households without memberships for whom the prospect of one day joining the club was always available.”
He also wants the city to commit to keeping the golf course and not selling the land to a developer.
When Weinstein voiced his concerns again at the Sept. 14 meeting, Ahnell said the city is committed to maintaining a golf course, but could not put that in writing until it takes over ownership.
MSD Partners, formed by billionaire Michael S. Dell’s private investment firm, and Northview Hotel Group, acquired the club as part of their purchase of The Boca Raton for $875 million in 2019. The resort is now in the midst of a $175 million renovation.
In announcing the donation, the owners said they wanted to concentrate on completing that project. They also said the club has been underutilized for more than a decade.

Members of Impact 100 (l-r, front): Rebecca Scott, Kathryn Gillespie, Allison Davis, Kathy Adkins, Holly Schuttler, Sue Diener, Kirstin Jovanovski, Kelly Fleming, (back) Renee Feder, Lisa Warren, JoAnne Greiser, Emily McMullin, Tandy Robinson, Hilary Sullivan, Cynthia Krebsbach, Carrie Rubin, Lisa Mulhall, Nicole Mugavero, Laura Bull, Marilyn Swillinger, Molly Reiss, Karen Sweetapple, Jeannine Morris and Helen Ballerano. Photo provided by Warner-Prokos Photography

By Amy Woods

Impact 100 Palm Beach County is asking local nonprofits to apply for this season’s share of $100,000 grants.
The submission forms are due Oct. 29.
“During the 2020-2021 grant cycle, 84 grant applications were received, meaning that more than $8.4 million in grant requests came through our doors,” President Holly Schuttler said. “This shows the huge need in our community.”
The organization issues the grants in five focus areas: arts, culture and historic preservation; education; environment and animal welfare; family; and health and wellness.
For more information and to access the forms, call 561-336-4623 or visit www.impact100pbc.org/for-nonprofits.

Boca Regional campaign exceeds $210 million
Boca Raton resident Jay Grunin has made a gift of $3 million toward the $250 million redevelopment project at Boca Raton Regional Hospital, the largest in the hospital’s history.
The new conference and education center will be named after Grunin and his wife, Azize.
“The Grunin Foundation is well-known for its generosity, and Jay Grunin is the ultimate philanthropist, one who gives with his heart,” campaign Co-Chairman Stan Barry said of the New Jersey-based nonprofit.
“The Grunins will be a wonderful asset to the Boca Raton area and to Boca Regional.”
Added Lincoln Mendez, the hospital’s CEO, “We welcome Jay and his wife, Azize, to Boca Raton and are delighted by the foundation’s generous commitment to this project, our vision and Boca Raton Regional Hospital.”
In addition, Ena Kane’s $1 million gift will result in the naming of the retail pharmacy on-site in her honor.
“Mrs. Kane is special to all of us here at the hospital,” Mendez said. “She is a longtime donor who understands the nature of our campus initiative and wants others to benefit from her giving.”
The campaign now has raised more than $210 million.
Its plans include the new Gloria Drummond Patient Tower, the new Louis B. and Anne W. Green Lobby and the comprehensive renovation of all existing patient units.
For more information, call 561-955-4142 or visit https://donate.brrh.com.

ACCF gets financial boost from Delray credit union
Commemorating its 70th anniversary, Delray Beach-based Power Financial Credit Union made a $50,000 donation that was split among seven South Florida charities.
Locally, Achievement Centers for Children & Families received a $7,070 grant. The nonprofit provides opportunities for children in need so they can reach their potential in a positive environment.
“It has been our unwavering commitment to our members and our community, through good times and bad, that has allowed us to thrive for the last 70 years,” said Allan Prindle, the credit union’s president and CEO. “We have been fortunate to earn the trust and support of our members and the entire South Florida community. We wanted to show our appreciation as we celebrate this significant milestone by donating to some very worthy charitable causes.”
For more information, call 561-266-0003 or visit achievementcentersfl.org.

Partnership benefits children’s education
Roots and Wings, a charity that works to improve the quality of education in South Florida, has been selected as a new supported partner of the Boca West Children’s Foundation.
The announcement came with a $10,000 check for the nonprofit’s Project UpLift program.
“We are honored to have been chosen as one of Boca West Children’s Foundation’s new supported partners,” Roots and Wings founder and CEO Ted Hoskinson said. “These funds go a long way in ensuring that we are able to add three new Project UpLift participating schools this fall. These kids may otherwise have fallen through the cracks.”
Project UpLift has launched at Rolling Green Elementary School in Boynton Beach, Village Academy Center in Delray Beach, and Coral Sunset Elementary School in Boca Raton, impacting 180 second- and third-graders.
For more information, call 561-404-0455 or visit https://rootsandwingsinc.org.

The Lord’s Place names COO and board members
A nonprofit that works to break the cycle of homelessness in Palm Beach County has appointed Kerry Rodriguez Diaz as chief operating officer.
Diaz joined The Lord’s Place this year as interim COO and since has accepted the permanent position.
“Her methodical, strategic and analytic approach to operations and strategy, coupled with compassion, make Kerry a perfect fit for our culture,” CEO Diana Stanley said, “She is a thought leader who fully embraces our mission.”
The West Palm Beach-based organization is in the midst of a construction project for new headquarters and housing facilities.
“I do not go a day without being in awe of the work that happens at the street level to nurture people in need and meet them where they are with kindness and compassion,” Diaz said. “I cry at least once a week — sometimes with sorrow at the difficult lives people live and sometimes with joy at the steps people make to become stably housed.”
In other news, three fresh faces have joined The Lord’s Place board — Wesley Lang, Bill Proctor and Mary Quick. Lang brings a wealth of financial-management and business-development experience to the board. Proctor received the Unsung Hero Award at the 2018 Ending Homelessness Breakfast.
“Everyone deserves a hand up, not to be confused with a handout,” said Quick, a lifelong philanthropist. “The Lord’s Place is doing just that every day.”
For more information, call 561-494-0125 or visit https://thelordsplace.org.

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

The Witches of Delray have been riding since 2012 and raise money for the Achievement Centers for Children & Families while having a lot of fun along the way. Photo provided

By Amy Woods

Imagine a peloton of 300 riders making their way down Delray Beach’s main drag, cackling as they are pedaling because they are decked out as witches.
Hippie-chick witches. Lilly Pulitzer witches. Sea witches. Tiki witches. Witch doctors.
The wacky scene at first confuses onlookers and then leaves them wide-eyed in broomstick, errr bicycle, dust.
“They looked at me like I was a crazy lady,” said Andie DeVoe, who helped found The Witches of Delray in 2012 and was one of the Halloween-themed fundraiser’s 11 original riders. “They just stand and watch — they can’t help but watch — and then they cheer. It’s like a two-part reaction — surprise and joy.”
The event typically attracts 300 participants who put on curiously clever costumes, decorate their two-wheelers and join the festive parade of sorts on Atlantic Avenue.
“It’s so cool,” DeVoe said. “It’s so fun. It’s so creative. My favorite part of it is the day of the ride, when they’re showing up and looking at each other’s bikes.”
The 3-mile route continues on A1A south to Casuarina Road then north to Gleason Street. A pit stop takes place in the Sandoway Discovery Center parking lot. The ride ends at Old School Square, but the party does not. Awards are given for best costume, best decorated bike and best group theme.
Riders each pay a $30 entry fee, and more money is raised through donations and sponsorships. The proceeds benefit the Achievement Centers for Children & Families, which serves under-resourced people through early-learning, after-school and teen-mentoring programs.
“It’s a beautiful partnership,” DeVoe said. “I saw the money raised go directly back into the community.”
The ride is Oct. 30, but the fun begins Oct. 22 with the Witches Brew at Tim Finnegans Irish Pub. The happy-hour party features a silent auction, tarot-card readers and games.
“We pack that place,” DeVoe said, noting that attendees don their more-elegant witch attire for the evening affair. “We just love dressing up.”
She said the Witches of Delray anticipates topping the $16,000 grossed in 2019.
“It’s been amazing to watch it grow,” DeVoe said. “It’s been amazing to see how much it is loved by the community.”

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

If You Go
What: Witches Brew fund-raiser
When: 6 to 9 p.m. Oct. 22
Where: Tim Finnegans Irish Pub, 2885 S. Federal Highway, Delray Beach

What: Charity bicycle ride
When: 7:30 to 11:30 a.m. Oct. 30
Where: Ride starts at City Hall, 100 NW First Ave.
Information and registration: 561-266-0003; www.achievementcentersfl.org/witches-of-delray-2021

(Front, l-r)) Dr. Melyssa Hancock, Elmar Benavente, Sayra Vazquez Brann, Ryan Reiter, Dr. Jeffrey Stein (men’s fundraising champion), Denise Lazo, Kelly Fleming (women’s champion), (back) Mindy Shikiar, Scott Lappin, Robert Snyder, Dre Garcia and James Brann. Photo provided by Viviimage Photography

More than 22,000 supporters viewed the 14th annual fundraiser for the George Snow Scholarship Fund, cheering on their favorite dancers while watching the elaborate television production. Co-Chairs Steve Bernstein, Robin Bresky, Bill Donnell and Kirsten Stanley said the disco-themed event was the most incredible to date. In excess of $500,000 was generated from people sponsoring dancers, who were paired with professional partners.

Periwinkle owner Carrie Delafield, building owner Robert Brewer and Periwinkle President Megan Mignano. Photo provided

The women’s contemporary resort-wear boutique partnered with the Delray Beach Historical Society to celebrate its location at 339 E. Atlantic Ave. turning one century old. The building originally was constructed as a bank and has housed an insurance company and an import store through the years. Its history was remembered during a cocktail party featuring a photo exhibit. Guests shopped in support of the society, with a portion of all sales going to the organization.

Anthony Calicchio and Frankie the parrot are ready for a break. 2018 file photo

By Jan Norris

Café Frankie’s has new owners — a pair of Irish-Italian brothers from Staten Island.
Former owner Anthony Calicchio is happy about the deal he made for his Boynton Beach eatery, and says he’s ready for an extended break.
He explains: “I’m tired. Nobody wants to work anymore. I’m working too hard — clearing tables, filling water glasses, taking orders, running the kitchen. If I keep doing it all, I’ll be dead by the end of the summer.”
He is sticking around to be with his parents, who are 87 and 88. Otherwise, he said, “I’d be sitting on an island somewhere in the Caribbean. Any island.”
On Sept. 20, the Brooklyn native inventoried the wines and signed the sale papers, walking away from the restaurant where he spent the past 15 years. He began as a chef for its former owner, the Boys Market group, then bought it two years later.
“We disagreed about the way things were run, and couldn’t come to an agreement, so I had to buy the restaurant to do it my way,” Calicchio said, grinning.
In the immediate future, Calicchio plans to ride off on his motorcycle from his home in Boynton Beach, keep an eye on his parents in west Boca Raton — “I go see them and eat with them every Sunday” — and hang out with Frankie, the yellow-winged Amazon parrot and former ambassador for the restaurant.
The bird was named for the cafe and spent about the same amount of time there as the owner. He perched on the patio, greeting all who passed by with “fugetaboutit.” Frankie was the subject of local news after being lost for a week and finally returned with the help of the police. “He’s my roommate,” Calicchio said.
His long-range plans are for a breakfast or lunch spot, maybe a food truck — something to do with serving food — “in a couple of months, maybe.” Calicchio says food is what he loves, ultimately, along with his work as an artist. He’s sold more than 300 of his paintings that adorned the walls of the eatery.
His mother’s recipes were part of the menu and will still be available from the new owners, Tom and Steve Smith, as will Calicchio’s limoncello and Grand Marnier concoctions.
He says he feels good about the Smith brothers and is satisfied they’re keeping a lot of his menu intact, as well as keeping the staff on board.
Calicchio and the staff have been through a lot together, he said, including the pandemic shutdown, when he lost 70% of his business, and the serving of 1,000 free meals since the coronavirus outbreak.
“We never turned away anyone who couldn’t pay. We gave away meals right after it started,” he said.
Tom and Steve Smith agree that a lot of what makes the restaurant a neighborhood favorite is the “good staff, and traditional menu.” Perfect for the area, they said.
“We love it. It’s a tight-knit community,” Tom said.
Steve, 52, will be the co-chef with the current chef, Winston Telesford. Tom, 55, says, “I’m the eater.”
The men had restaurants before on Staten Island — the American Grill and Sea Breeze Cafe. They’re moving to Florida to “get out of New York,” Tom said. They’ll follow a brother, a retired NYPD officer, who moved down earlier, and join their mother, moving soon.
After a brief cleanup and restock, they planned to fire up the stoves and be back in action, keeping the Café Frankie’s name.
New daily specials will be added to the menu, and the cafe will be open for lunch once again, Tom said. The restaurant shut down midday service after the pandemic hit.
Specials may go beyond strictly Italian, with some Asian and other cuisines, Steve said. “We’ll try a few things to see — test the waters.”
But if anything, they’ll add to the Italian menu. They’ll serve Mama Ventriglio’s Sunday Gravy, named for their mom, on the Sunday traditional Italian dinner. “We’ll have all the Italian Sunday favorites — ravioli, spaghetti and meatballs, manicotti,” Tom said.
“We’ll save risotto and osso buco — the real one — for Sundays,” Steve said.
Tom is his brother’s biggest fan. “We’ll put great soups on the menu, too — his soups are amazing. He makes a pumpkin in the hay,” Tom said. That’s a pumpkin cream in a hollow, roasted, mini-pumpkin, with prosciutto-wrapped shrimp hanging from its edges.
Steve plans to change the menu seasonally and incorporate more of Florida’s seafood into it.
“Oh, yeah: We’ll still have pizza,” Tom said. “We love Frankie’s pizza. We’re keeping the pizza chef — Peter Cortes — he does a great job. I’m from Staten Island and I’ll put his pizza up against any there.”
Also remaining on the job is restaurant manager Dena Balka, a fixture at the Café Frankie’s well known to customers.
The new owners are happy to be among the crowds relocating from the Northeast, primarily for the weather, they said.
Tom, who will marry soon and set up house in Palm Beach County, says he has a dog named Snow. “It’s the only snow I want to see ever again.”
Café Frankie’s, 640 E. Ocean Ave., Boynton Beach. Phone 561-732-3834; www.cafefrankies.com

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DINING AT THE RAY: Ember Grill is billed as a modern take on traditional neighborhood grill fare with sustainability and seasonal foods. Central to the restaurant’s design is a special wood-burning grill from Spain. Photos provided

Pineapple Grove in Delray Beach is growing up and going luxe with the addition of the Ray Hotel, part of Hilton’s Curio Collection. It’s from the Menin developers — the same group behind the recently opened Delray Beach Market food hall off Atlantic Avenue.
With the Ray, a 114-room luxury hotel, comes high-end dining, starting with the signature Ember Grill, and a rooftop bar, the Rosewater Rooftop, a space that will accommodate 442 people and is designed for small plate sharing and seafood specialties.
Both will be overseen by executive chef Joe Zanelli, new to South Florida, and the Clique Hospitality Group, which is also behind Lionfish on Atlantic Avenue.
The Ember Grill is billed as a modern take on traditional neighborhood grill fare — with sustainability and seasonal foods front and center.
Crabcakes, duck pancakes and charred octopus will make use of the special wood-burning Josper grill from Spain, central to the open-kitchen design. Ember includes a private dining room as well.
At Rosewater Rooftop, five stories up with a 360-degree view of downtown Delray, there’s an “over-the-top” cocktail program to match the shareable plates on the global street food menu. Sushi rolls, mezze, quesadillas and skewers are among the dishes listed.
Canopies and lounge furnishings are set up for gatherings, with the pool nearby.
A special-events facility, a 22,000-square-foot floating glass cube, is another signature of the hotel, designed by Gonzalez Architects.

Stingers is a coffee and tea shop offering takeaway foods and drinks.

The hotel also has Stingers, a small coffee and tea shop offering takeaway foods and drinks.
Coming this fall will be a dining experience led by Akira Back, a Michelin-starred Korean chef who will bring modern Asian-inspired dishes. He is noted for his Yellowtail restaurant in Las Vegas.
For now it’s reservations-only through Open Table at both Ember Grill and Rosewater Rooftop, because of limited staffing and social distancing, said Jordana Jarjura, president and general counsel at Menin Corp.
“Like the rest of the world, we have been impacted by COVID-19 and have not yet met our desired staffing levels,” she said.
Ember Grill is open Tuesday through Saturday for dinner, and Sunday Brunch. Rosewater Rooftop is open for lunch daily, and dinner Wednesday through Sunday. Golden Hour is 4-6 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday.
Ember Grill and Rosewater Rooftop at the Ray, 233 NE Second Ave., Delray Beach. www.therayhotel.com. By reservation only, through Open Table.

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Amar Mediterranean restaurant on Atlantic Avenue in Delray Beach has expanded to a bakery, Amar Bakery and Market in Boynton Beach. It offers baked goods and market specialties from cuisines around the Mediterranean. It’s at 1600 N. Federal Highway and open 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. Visit www.amar-bakery.com.

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

Deputy William Feaman’s dogs Willow and Daya perform traditional therapy roles, but also respond to deaths and other emergencies. Willow is a young black poodle mix. Daya is a Catahoula leopard/hound mix. Photo provided by PBSO

By Arden Moore

There’s a new type of K-9 police officer reporting for duty at the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office. These canine cops don’t chase bad guys. They don’t sniff out bombs or illegal drugs or crime scene evidence.
And they certainly don’t look like traditional police dogs. None of them are German shepherds or Belgian Malinois. These badge-wearing dogs love being greeted, petted and even hugged.
They are specially trained therapy dogs on a mission: To transform tears to smiles and fear to trust among people of all generations and circumstances.
And PBSO is fast becoming a showcase for the talents of these dogs, with four joining the ranks this summer and a few more expected this fall.
Some of the new therapy dogs attend community events, visit schools and perform other traditional therapy dog roles. Think of them as four-legged community cops.
Then there are Daya and Willow, who are partnered with Deputy William Feaman. Daya is a Catahoula leopard/hound mix with a name that fittingly means compassion in Sanskrit. Willow is a young black poodle mix. Their duties go behind showing up at community events.
“We all work the fluff stuff like reading to kids at libraries or ‘coffee with a cop’ events,” says Feaman. “But Daya, Willow and I are the only ones who respond to homicide calls, death notifications or when bad things happen.”
Their effort to reach out to people in trying situations is expanding the role police play in the community.
“Deputy Feaman is on the road every day listening to calls and showing up with his dogs at traffic crashes, fires, burglaries, sexual assaults involving children, and elderly community events,” says Teri Barbera, PBSO media relations director. Daya and Willow “add a new dimension to the force that is very much welcomed.”
For years, Feaman worked as an undercover narcotics cop. Then he learned about an emerging program that trains dogs to be therapy officers. He now reports for duty with his well-trained, well-mannered and highly intuitive doggy duo.
Both dogs came from animal rescue groups and were trained through a fast-growing police therapy program called Paws and Stripes from the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office. These dogs are sworn in after completing more than 400 hours of training.
Bringing two therapy cop dogs to a scene is proving doubly beneficial. Daya is the higher ranking therapy cop with more experience and weighs about 53 pounds. Younger Willow weighs about 33 pounds. One sheds — Daya. One is soft and fuzzy — Willow.
Feaman is able to size up the needs of people at crime scenes to determine which one of his four-legged partners will be better-suited to assist. And, during long work at a crime scene, he is able to give each dog time to rest and recharge.
“We read body language and when the tail stops wagging, I know it’s time to move them out to their safe space,” he says. “I thought it would be difficult to have two therapy dogs, but they work in sync together. They have never growled at each other. Daya acts like a big sister to Willow.”
They work emotionally trying cases. A sampling:
• A boy with autism ran into the woods after his electronic device malfunctioned. Feaman brought Daya to the scene. “The boy was very upset,” says Feaman. “I asked him, ‘Do you like dogs?’ He nodded yes. We stayed with him for about two hours and it was hot out there and the boy finally sat on the edge of the kennel with Daya, loving on her.”
• A 7-year-old girl threatened to commit suicide at a school and Feaman responded with Daya and Willow. “These dogs naturally help bring calm to people,” he says. “I view them as necessary distractions in trying situations. Science tells you that dogs lower blood pressure and release feel-good hormones when you pet them.”
• The trio arrived to a scene in which an 11-year-old boy was present when his father was killed. While the homicide officers worked the case, Daya and Willow provided canine love to the boy. “For two hours, these dogs became that boy’s dogs,” says Feaman. “He hugged them and talked to them.”
• When kids witnessed a neighbor kill another neighbor, Feaman was glad he had two dogs of different coats to comfort the kids. “The smaller kids felt more comfortable playing with Willow, while the older kids played with Daya. Willow looks like a fluffy teddy bear, so little kids naturally gravitate to her.
“Community policing is where my heart is,” says Feaman. “The bond we have is very strong.”
This new generation of police dogs arrives at a time when everyone of every age can use some canine kindness, says Lisa Radosta, DVM, a board-certified veterinary behaviorist who runs the Florida Veterinary Behavior Service in West Palm Beach.
“Neighborhood policing isn’t about being scary — it is about being a part of the group,” says Radosta. “Dogs make people happy. They soften them up. They start conversations. Dogs connect us and that is a good thing. We need to feel more comfortable with the police and be able to approach them. Having a dog there can only help with that.”

Arden Moore, founder of FourLeggedLife.com, is an animal behavior consultant, author, speaker and master certified pet first-aid instructor. She hosts Oh Behave! weekly on PetLifeRadio.com. Learn more at www.ardenmoore.com.

Learn more

Here is a link to a short video that features the swearing-in ceremony of the K-9 therapy dogs at the Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bAFTkkBkB0

Medical staff members at Boca Raton Regional Hospital enjoy their sweet treats. Photo provided

By Christine Davis

On Sept. 9, through its “Giving Back Program,” Tire Kingdom Service Centers thanked medical staffers at Boca Raton Regional Hospital for their dedication and extra effort to combat COVID-19 by treating them to a little sweet relief from Kona Ice. Tire Kingdom also shared its “Essential Business Appreciation Offer” with the team to provide special discounts for front-line workers at all Tire Kingdom locations. 
“We had a lot of smiling faces under their masks waiting in line for Kona Ice and more smiles as they were enjoying every bite of it,” said Bina Wagjiani, director of the hospital’s office of patient experience.

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Marcus Neuroscience Institute, part of Baptist Health South Florida and based at Boca Raton Regional Hospital, has expanded its services, to Boynton Beach. The new location, at 2800 S. Seacrest Blvd., Suite 160, offers neurology and neurosurgery services.
At the Marcus Neuroscience Institute, which was established in 2015, experts address conditions from brain tumors to back pain, including movement disorders, seizures, strokes and aneurysms, memory disorders, migraines, spine conditions and diseases such as multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s. For information, call 561-955-4600 or visit BRRH.com/MNI.

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The Eugene M. & Christine E. Lynn Cancer Institute at Boca Raton Regional Hospital has expanded its cancer diagnosis and treatment services in Palm Beach County to a new location at Bethesda Health City, part of Bethesda Hospital East. The facility is located at 10301 Hagen Ranch Road, Boynton Beach. “We look forward to this partnership that will help us bring state-of-the-art comprehensive oncology care closer to our patients and community,” said Nelson Lazo, CEO of Bethesda Hospital East and Bethesda Hospital West.
For more information, call 561-955-6627 or visit www.brrh.com/Services/Lynn-Cancer-Institute.

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Baptist Health Medical Group North has named Marcella Gravalese, MBA-HSA, as vice president. She will lead the physician group’s development and operations and recruit new members to join the primary care and specialty physician practices.
With more than 20 years of experience in the health care industry, she most recently served as assistant vice president of operations at HCA Physician Services Group, east Florida division. In 2017, she was one of six scholars selected for the Thomas C. Dolan Executive Diversity Program by the American College of Healthcare Executives, and more recently, she was recognized as a “Dynamic Influencer” by the International Association of Women.

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In August, Delray Medical Center began to use the CORI surgical system for knee replacement surgery. The CORI is a handheld robotics-assisted technology that helps the surgeon plan and perform the procedure. Patients regain function faster and return home sooner with this technology. They also can keep more of their natural bone and ligaments. The 3D digital model allows for a surgical plan to be customized to a patient's anatomy, and the surgeon is able to choose from the widest selection of implants available for precision matching.
For more information, visit www.delraymedicalctr.com/services/orthopedics, or call 561-498-4440.

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Delray Medical Center also announced that it now uses the RED 62 Reperfusion Catheter & Benchmark BMX96 for stroke patients.
“The RED 62 is engineered with some of the latest innovations in tracking and aspiration technology to address large vessel blockages from a stroke located in more challenging areas, while maximizing powerful aspiration to remove blood clots,” said neurointerventionalist Dr. Dennys Reyes.
“With the help of the Benchmark BMX96 access system, hypotube technology provides a higher stability for more complex cases when it comes to treatment of a stroke. In addition, when performing a procedure, the catheter is designed to increase versatility and visualization designed to help offer patients the best possible outcomes.”
For more information, call 561-498-4440 or go to www.delraymedicalctr.com/services/neurosciences.

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The Palm Beach Research Center is recruiting participants for a plant-based COVID-19 vaccine study, which might appeal to some still hesitant to get vaccinated. According to researchers, the tobacco plant is used to carry a protein that mimics COVID-19. Once introduced through the body, it would create an immune response.
“No chemicals, all natural, and it is an injection— you do not smoke it,” said lead researcher David Scott of the Palm Beach Research Center. “The nicotine is not part of this. Tobacco is an intelligent plant, with many uses.”
Kentucky BioProcessing, based in Owensboro, is growing tobacco plants for the COVID-19 vaccine. According to KentuckyBio Processing, other phases of the clinical trial show the plant-based vaccine is safe, and the company is further investigating its benefits with a yearlong study. Participants will be paid more than $3,000. For more information, call 561-689-0606.

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JFK Medical Center received three American Heart Association Achievement Awards through its participation in the “Get With the Guidelines” programs for implementing improvements that ensure cardiovascular patients receive efficient and coordinated care.
“We are pleased to recognize JFK Medical Center for their commitment to cardiovascular care,” said Lee H. Schwamm, M.D., national chairman of the association’s quality oversight committee. “Research has shown that hospitals adhering to clinical measures through the American Heart Association’s quality improvement programs often see fewer readmissions and lower mortality rates.”

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BioFlorida, representing 6,700 establishments and research organizations in the bio-pharmaceutical, medical technology and bio-agriculture sectors that collectively employ 94,000 Floridians, has added five new board members. They are Thomas Equels of AIM ImmunoTech, Mark Friedman, Ph.D., of Axogen, Geoff Green of Longeveron, Adam Grossman of ADMA Biologics, and Joe Sardano of Sensus Healthcare.
“BioFlorida provides Florida’s life sciences industry with a venue to collaborate to address global health challenges,” said Rob Herzog, chairman of the BioFlorida board and vice president of research and operations at Advent Health. “I look forward to working with our new board members to continue to build Florida as a life sciences destination.” 

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

By Joyce Reingold

On Sept. 9, the Biden administration announced plans to require hospitals and health care facilities receiving Medicare and Medicaid funding to vaccinate their employees against the coronavirus.
“As the Delta variant continues to spread, we know the best defense against it lies with the COVID-19 vaccine,” Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services administrator, said in a press release. “Data show that the higher the level of vaccination rates among providers and staff, the lower the infection rate is among patients who are dependent upon them for care. Now is the time to act.”
Several hospital systems in South Florida had already done just that. In August, Baptist Health South Florida, whose hospitals include Boca Raton Regional and Bethesda East and West, announced an Oct. 31 deadline for employees, medical staff and volunteers to be immunized.
By early September, Dr. Samer Fahmy, vice president and chief medical officer of Boca Raton Regional Hospital, said approximately 70% of Baptist Health South Florida employees had been vaccinated, “regardless of any policies that were put in place.”
“So that was encouraging, and we’ve seen more and more folks step up and get vaccinated over the last couple of weeks now that they know that it will be required to continue working within the Baptist Health system,” said Fahmy, who has helped lead the pandemic response for Boca Raton Regional and Baptist Health South Florida.
Also prior to President Joe Biden’s announcement, some hospital systems said they would recommend but not require vaccinations. Tenet’s Palm Beach Health Network, which includes the Delray and West Boca medical centers, said in a statement, “We are strongly encouraging COVID-19 vaccinations for all of our employees. We have implemented vaccine education, a vaccine referral program and are offering on-site vaccine clinics.”
In May, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission said employers may require employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19, but must make reasonable accommodations for employees who don’t get vaccinated because of a disability or a “sincerely held religious belief, practice or observance.”
Baptist Health is allowing religious and medical exemptions and has committees to review employee requests. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a medical exemption would apply to people “at risk for an adverse reaction because of an allergy to one of the vaccine components or a medical condition.”
Still, vaccine mandates have already been the subject of legal challenges and more will surely follow. In June, a federal judge dismissed a lawsuit brought by Jennifer Bridges and 116 other Houston Methodist Hospital employees challenging the organization’s vaccine requirement.
In his ruling, U.S. District Judge Lynn N. Hughes said, “Methodist is trying to do their business of saving lives without giving them the COVID-19 virus. It is a choice made to keep staff, patients, and their families safer. Bridges can freely choose to accept or refuse a COVID-19 vaccine; however, if she refuses, she will simply need to work somewhere else.”
In August, the Houston Chronicle reported that 62 former employees had sued the hospital, claiming wrongful termination. The suit was still pending in mid-September.
Fahmy acknowledges staff losses are a possibility, of course, but he’s cautiously optimistic.
“Is there the potential that the end of October rolls around and there are some unvaccinated employees that may be subject to termination from Baptist Health? Yes. That’s how serious we are about our vaccination efforts. You need to get vaccinated against COVID-19, not just for your own safety, but for the safety of the patients that you care for within our facilities. …
“Our hope is that it doesn’t have to come to that and that we can convince the folks that are eligible to receive vaccines to get them. But if it did come to that, there are plans in place for contingency staffing, if needed,” he said.

ER doctor calls mandates essential
Dr. Bill Benda, an emergency room physician and associate professor of emergency medicine at Florida Atlantic University, said in September he was surprised by the number of hospital workers who hadn’t been vaccinated — “I can’t give you anything exact. I’m going to guess a third or possibly less, including emergency department staff” — and believes the mandates are essential.
“Biden’s doing what has to be done. The military has to have it. Federal workers have to have it. These hospital systems are saying their employees have to have it,” says Benda, who lives in the County Pocket near Briny Breezes. “We tried conversation, we tried reasoning, and either people’s assumptions or their politics are getting in the way. And it’s not acceptable anymore. It’s not a big sacrifice.
“My father was a farmer’s son. And in the ’40s he enlisted in the Army to go to a country halfway across the world to protect people that he had no clue who they were. And fight an evil that wasn’t a direct threat to him. And not only did he do it, but rock stars like Elvis Presley did it. Movie stars — Jimmy Stewart — did it. Athletes — Joe DiMaggio — did it. And they did it because it was the right thing to do.
“People need to get off their collective asses and do the right thing … because the risk they are running is nowhere near what my dad faced. He did it because it was the right thing to do it. I don’t know how we lost that directive.”

Joyce Reingold writes about health and healthy living. Send column ideas to joyce.reingold@yahoo.com.

The Rev. Dennis Gonzales celebrates a Mass for health care professionals in November at St. Ann Catholic Church in West Palm Beach. Gonzales, who has a bachelor’s degree in nursing, took over as pastor of St. Vincent Ferrer Catholic Church in Delray Beach in September. Photo provided

By Janis Fontaine

First and foremost, Father Dennis Gonzales is a healer.
Bishop Gerald Michael Barbarito handpicked Gonzales as the pastoral administrator for St. Vincent Ferrer Catholic Church in Delray Beach to replace retired Monsignor Tom Skindeleski. He took the reins on Sept. 1.
Raised in a Catholic family in the Philippines, Gonzales, 48, dreamed of the priesthood, but he knew a nursing degree could provide him and his family with financial security. So instead of entering the seminary, he earned a bachelor’s in nursing from Notre Dame University in Cotabato City.
After graduation, a hospital in Washington, D.C., sponsored him, and his childhood dream of coming to the United States came true. Sending money home to help educate his younger siblings and support his parents fulfilled another important goal.
Still, the priesthood was never far from his thoughts.
Health care and spiritual care have always coexisted in Gonzales’ mind, especially as he cared for dying patients. He completed an internship program in clinical pastoral education at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland, ministering to terminally ill patients who were participating in clinical trials.
While in Washington, Gonzales earned a scholarship to pursue his master’s degree in theology at the Washington Theological Union. When he completed the program, he was ready to fully commit to the priesthood and began looking for a seminary.
After visiting a friend in South Florida, Gonzales was ready to abandon snow for sand. He earned a master of divinity at St. Vincent de Paul Seminary in Boynton Beach and was ordained in 2013 by Barbarito at the Cathedral of Saint Ignatius Loyola in Palm Beach Gardens.
Since his ordination, Gonzales has served at St. Helen in Vero Beach and St. Ann in West Palm Beach. He has also served as a hospital chaplain, lending support to hospice clients and their families, as well as the health care staff.
As the coronavirus pandemic raged in the fall of 2020, Gonzales celebrated the fourth annual White Mass at St. Ann on Nov. 14, where health care professionals renewed their physician and professional health care promises to God and to adhere to the Catholic faith in the practice of medicine.
He said then, “Love God — the greatest commandment — and then love your neighbor as you love yourself. Loving yourself is part of the equation. My friends, taking care of ourselves does not mean that we neglect the needs of others until our own needs are satisfied. It means we have to be aware of nurturing sound and healthy attributes to ourselves.
“There is a saying that goes, ‘You cannot give what you do not have.’ So, if we don’t have strength, our energy quickly dries up.”
Gonzales believes that the callings to nursing and the ministry overlap. “In his ministry, Jesus was always caring for and healing the sick, touching the outcast and untouchable. He healed them not only physically, but also emotionally, spiritually and socially,” Gonzales said in an interview with Global Pinoy Nursing in 2018.
Gonzales is humbled that Barbarito chose him to lead St. Vincent, and says, “I’m so thankful to Monsignor Tom that I inherited a parish on sound footing, with a strong staff and a great school.”
Gonzales’ goal at the church and in the community “is to have a healing conversation, to stop the division in our society, and to look for the positive. We need to talk about our differences and not let issues further divide us.”
The former registered nurse calls the fighting over vaccinations and masks “sad,” but he believes confronting people isn’t the answer either. As a man of medicine, he is ready to talk. “I never imagined vaccinations would be a thorny issue. But I see myself as a community builder, a unifier. I would tell people to reflect on what is good for their family and for the community.”
After that, it’s up to them.

St Vincent Ferrer is at 840 George Bush Blvd., Delray Beach. 561-276-6892; https://stvincentferrer.com.

Janis Fontaine writes about people of faith, their congregations, causes and community events. Contact her at fontaine423@outlook.com.

Volunteers crowd the finish line at CROS Ministries’ 2019 Hustle to End Hunger 5K in John Prince Park. This year’s race, Oct. 2, has live and virtual options. Photo provided

By Janis Fontaine

CROS Ministries’ annual Hustle to End Hunger 5K on Oct. 2 at John Prince Park in Lake Worth Beach will raise money and awareness about the shortages at local food banks.
The run/walk has live and virtual options — with registration at https://runsignup.com/Race/FL/LakeWorth/Hustle2EndHunger5K. But the mission to help hungry people doesn’t end when the race is over.
First Presbyterian Church of Delray Beach participates in the race each year, then continues to collect nonperishable food for CROS Ministries’ pantries throughout the month.
All gifts of canned or boxed, unopened, unexpired, nonperishable food can help. You can leave your donation in the lobby on Sunday mornings or on the cart outside the sanctuary doors by the covered circle during the workweek at 33 Gleason St., Delray Beach.
For other ways to help, visit www.crosministries.org.

Drive-thru blessings for animals on Oct. 3
St. Joseph’s Episcopal Church’s annual Blessing of the Animals drive-thru event returns from 4 to 5 p.m. Oct. 3 on the church campus at 3300A S. Seacrest Blvd., Boynton Beach. Pets will again be blessed by one of the priests through car windows. Call 561-732-3060.

Pumpkin fun on tap at Delray Beach church
Pumpkins are set to arrive at Cason United Methodist Church, 342 N. Swinton Ave., Delray Beach, in mid-October. The Pumpkin Patch opens at 9 a.m. Oct. 15 and continues through the end of the month. A trunk-or-treat event takes place Oct. 30. Call 561-276-5302 for more information.

Clothing donations needed for shower truck clients
Amid the coronavirus pandemic, the Interfaith Committee for Social Services has partnered with the Delray Beach Police Department to keep its shower truck operations available to homeless people.
A major aspect is the distribution of clean clothing to participants. The shower truck is desperately in need of men’s shorts and jeans in sizes 32-34.
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 188 S. Swinton Ave., Delray Beach, is assisting with the collection of clothing. Contact Caren Kilpatrick, parish administrator, at 561-319-7947.

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

Rabbi Leibel Stolik from Chabad of South Palm Beach performs the Tashlich ceremony, which traditionally takes place on the afternoon of the first day of Rosh Hashanah.

The rabbi reads from the Torah with some of his family and members of the Chabad during the ceremony. Jews symbolically cast off the sins of the previous year by tossing pebbles or bread crumbs into flowing water. This group began walking at the Lantana Nature Preserve and ended at Lake Worth Cultural Plaza while making several stops along the way. Photos by Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

Jewish law states that the shofar be blown 30 times on each day of Rosh Hashanah, and by custom it is blown 100 or 101 times each day.

By Janis Fontaine

When you encourage a child, Willie “James” McCray of Delray Beach believes, it’s like the ripples a pebble sends across a pond — they touch things you didn’t expect.
McCray has been sharing his love and his talent for the game of chess with kids in the West Settlers District, a historically Black area of Delray Beach, for more than two years. James Chess Club meets weekly at Delray’s Spady Museum, where McCray teaches kids to play the complicated strategy game.
McCray, 71, also holds chess tournaments with cash prizes every couple of months. The last tournament took place Sept. 3 in Libby Wesley Park. The next one will take place Nov. 28, the Sunday after Thanksgiving, possibly at Old School Square. Stay tuned, McCray says.
Chess presents many important principles, one of which is “You have to learn to lose to win,” McCray explains.
“It’s a brain game, a thinking game,” he says. “It’s about the choices you make and that you can’t blame anyone else. It also teaches life skills like patience, and it encourages the kids to think on their own.”
As kids practice and compete, they hear words like “options, obstacles and opportunities” and “choice, consequences and responsibility.” These are the lessons of chess, McCray says.
He learned them the hard way, on the streets, before he discovered the board game in his 20s. He hopes that learning chess will help kids avoid the pitfalls he had to overcome.
Each chess piece has its own strengths and weaknesses, just like people. “I like the knight,” McCray says. “You can always go back where you came from.”
But the pawn is perhaps the most inspiring piece to him.
“In life’s struggles, you don’t have to be the king to be something. Look at the pawn.”
The pawn, if it makes it all the way across the board, can become any piece it wants. “And you get eight chances!” McCray laughs.
The message: “You can be as successful as you want to be, but it takes sacrifice.”
Teaching chess to kids — one-on-one instruction can cost as much as $140 an hour with a player of McCray’s caliber — “is a gift that I can give,” he says.
James Chess Club meets from 5 to 6 p.m. Thursday and noon to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Spady Cultural Heritage Museum, 170 NW Fifth Ave. There is no cost. Call or text McCray for more information at 561-352-7145.

Fuller Center taking applications for mentors
Mentors are needed at the Fuller Center, a not-for-profit, education-focused organization based in Boca Raton.
The center is looking for mentors to help teenagers and children. Mentors focus on developing positive relationships and assisting with homework. They work after school for at least one hour weekly at one of the two Fuller Center locations in Boca Raton.
Applications from adults and teens 16 and older are being accepted. Mentors must pass background screening and commit to mentoring a minimum of once a week for one year. Training is provided.
Ellyn Okrent, CEO of the Fuller Center, said in an email, “We believe it’s critical that we come together to help one another, particularly as our students begin a new school year, after going through such a challenging time.”
The center will also launch the Promise Program in October with 16 participants ages 16-22 who need access to a positive, caring relationship with a non-parental adult mentor or coach. The participants will also learn leadership skills and get work experience.
If you can’t volunteer, you can “Adopt a Class” with a $1,500 contribution that will fund a classroom for the entire school year.
The East Campus is at 200 NE 14th St. The West Campus is at 10130 185th St. South.
For more information, contact Olga Bearhope at obearhope@ffcdc.org or at 561-391-7274, ext. 136.

BOYNTON PARK TO GET NEW RAMPS: Boat launch ramps at Harvey E. Oyer Jr. Park will close in the spring, probably in April and May, so they can be rebuilt. Photos by Willie Howard/The Coastal Star  

By Willie Howard

Boca Raton’s Silver Palm Park and its boat ramp closed on Sept. 7 as work began to transform the 3.7-acre park with new amenities.
The closure is expected to continue for about six months. New boat ramp permits will not be issued until the park reopens once construction is complete.
The adjacent 2.3-acre Wildflower Park closed in January, also for construction work.
When the multimillion-dollar Wildflower/Silver Palm Park project is completed, the parks will be connected and will include promenades, a pavilion, event lawn, enhanced landscaping, a third boat ramp and public art.

In Boynton Beach, popular boat-launching ramps at Harvey E. Oyer Jr. Park will close for two months in the spring so the aging ramps can be rebuilt.
The four launch ramps have been damaged over the years — partly because boat propeller thrust, created when boaters use their engines to push vessels onto trailers, has undermined the base that supports the ramps.
Gary Dunmyer, interim director of public works and engineering for Boynton Beach, has heard complaints from boaters about crumbling concrete on the launch ramps, which he said have reached the end of their useful life.
The Florida Inland Navigation District will pay the $1.2 million cost of rebuilding the ramps, which means taxpayers from 12 Florida counties bordering the Atlantic Ocean will share in the cost of the work.
Closing the Oyer Park boat ramps for construction is expected to happen during April and May, though the schedule could change based on the availability and arrival time of materials needed for the job.
The contractor, which had not been selected as of early September, must have the materials on site before work can begin, Dunmyer said. The goal is to minimize the number of days boaters will have to go elsewhere to launch and retrieve their boats while the Oyer Park ramps are renovated.
Dunmyer said the contract stipulates that the ramp rebuilding must be completed within 60 days after work begins.
Updates on the project can be found at www.Boynton-Beach.org/newsletter.
Alternative boat ramps in the Boca Raton/Boynton Beach area include Knowles Park at 1001 S. Federal Highway in Delray Beach; Mangrove Park at 1211 S. Federal Highway in Delray Beach; Sportsman’s Park at 320 E. Ocean Ave. in Lantana; Bryant Park on Golfview Road at Second Avenue South in Lake Worth Beach, and to the south, Pioneer Park at 217 NE Fifth Ave. in Deerfield Beach.
Prices for next year’s annual parking passes at Oyer Park — required for the extra-long truck/trailer spaces — have been adjusted to reflect the two-month construction closure. The annual pass price will be $165 for Florida residents and $290 for out-of-state residents.
Separately, Palm Beach County, working with the city of Boynton Beach, plans to dredge the channel leading from the Intracoastal Waterway to the Oyer Park boat ramps.
Dredging should make the channel 3 to 4 feet deeper and will be done in conjunction with the dredging of the Intracoastal Waterway and the sand trap inside Boynton Inlet, said Andy Studt, environmental program supervisor with Palm Beach County’s Department of Environmental Resources Management.
The dredging work is expected to begin in February or March, depending on the time required to obtain permits.

Bobber’s Under wins top prize in Gerretson
Ryan Lucas and his teammates on Bobber’s Under won the prize for heaviest fish in the 26th annual Mark Gerretson Memorial tournament with a 22.6-pound kingfish.
The Bobber’s Under team won $1,600 for the kingfish, which it caught in somewhat sloppy seas Aug. 28.
Josh Obem and his team on The Boat King won the kingfish division and a $1,000 prize with a 17.8-pound kingfish.
Marc Herman and his team on Uranus weighed the heaviest dolphinfish (mahi mahi) at 8.6 pounds to win $1,000.
Mia Scalo won the mystery fish category (and top female angler) with a 0.8-pound yellowtail snapper.
Sixteen boats participated. The event was postponed by two weeks because of unstable weather during the second week of August.
No wahoo were weighed in this year’s tournament, and none of the fishing teams delivered a trifecta — kingfish, dolphin and wahoo — meaning the trifecta prize increases to $4,000 for next year’s tournament.
Named for its late founder, the Gerretson tournament is run by volunteers and is a nonprofit organization that benefits youth causes in Delray Beach.

LEFT: Marc Herman prepares to weigh an 8.6-pound dolphinfish at Palm Beach Yacht Center. It was the largest dolphin caught in the 26th annual Mark Gerretson Memorial tournament, held Aug. 28.

Fort Lauderdale boat show starts Oct. 27
The 62nd annual Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show is set for Oct. 27-31 based at Bahia Mar Yachting Center, 801 Seabreeze Blvd., Fort Lauderdale.
General admission tickets cost $37 for adults and $15 for ages 6-15. The show managers with Informa note that 80% of the show will be outdoors and that health safety protocols will be in place.
Show hours are 9 a.m. until 7 p.m. except on opening day (Oct. 27), when the hours are noon to 5 p.m. The show closes at 6 p.m. Oct. 31.
Details and tickets can be found at www.flibs.com.

Mary Hladky contributed to this column.

Willie Howard is a freelance writer and licensed boat captain. Email tiowillie@bellsouth.net.

Allison and Luke Van Natta photograph their 8-month-old daughter, Elizabeth, while a limestone boulder is deployed to the reef. The Van Nattas were in town from Wisconsin, visiting family members in Boca Raton. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

The snorkeling area just off the beach at Red Reef Park was expanded in September with the placement of 15 limestone modules, which were added to six artificial reef structures already in place at the south end of the 40-acre oceanfront park. The reef should attract fish such as sergeant majors, parrotfish, bar jacks and pinfish.

Currently arranged as a residence/medical office, this recently constructed home features a 12-car garage that’s big enough for a serious automobile collector. 

Would you like to turn your dream of "live, work, play" into your next real estate purchase? This concrete residence/office of 10,248 total square feet is the ultimate in work-at-home synergy. Use it as all home or office or both, or make it your own private getaway. Where else locally can you park your car collection in your own protected 12-car garage with charging stations, on the ground floor of your own home? This structure at 226 Palm Court in Delray Beach’s Del Ida Park Historic District is a fresh, contemporary art deco building design, zoned RO. The residence has volume ceilings with wrap-around floor-to-ceiling glass, four bedrooms, four full and three half baths, den, laundry, a private executive office with steam shower and full bath, a reception area and a complete one-bedroom apartment. The exterior allows for large free-standing signage on a highly visible corner. An open balcony is on the second floor, and the third-floor rooftop terrace has plenty of open space for you to add a lap pool, spa, putting green or outdoor kitchen.
The commercial aspects of the property include 14 parking spaces, all impact glass, a commercial elevator, a 130-kilowatt generator, a natural gas generator and security cameras. The three-phase electric post-tension construction creates large open space with few interior columns and high ceilings for the ultimate in loft living.
Offered at $5,950,000. Joyce Schneider, Castles by the Beach Realty, 561-392-8770 (office), 561-212-4403 (cell). 889 E. Palmetto Park Road, Boca Raton, FL 33432. joyces1919@aol.com

The home features an open chef’s kitchen with dining area and plenty of natural light. It has a natural gas stove and stainless steel appliances.

A rooftop terrace for relaxing or entertaining is accessible from an outdoor spiral staircase.

The office portion of the home has 10 private offices/rooms and a large reception area.

Each month, The Coastal Star features a house for sale in our community. The House of the Month is presented as a service to our advertisers and provides readers with a peek inside one of our houses.