Margaret and Gerry Kazma with their daughter, Leigh-Ann Kazma. Photo provided by CAPEHART

What better gift than the promise of love, safety and a better life? That is what American Humane and a powerful group of guests pledged to give animals in the new year. Having led efforts to rescue, shelter, feed and protect millions of earth’s creatures, Robin Ganzert, president and CEO of the organization, led a hope-filled toast to aid more animals in 2020.

Michael Benenson and Robert Alrod. Photo provided

About 40 people gathered at the Gold Coast Tiger Bay Club event to hear local activist Suzanne Spencer speak about the public health crisis of the opioid epidemic and how to advance the dialogue on the issue. ‘She could have spoken for another hour because she has so much information about it,’ club President Howard Appell said of Spencer, CEO of Living Skills in the Schools. ‘She talked about just about everything that the opioid crisis touches on.’

Paul Miller, Steve Pate, Sandy Alcántara of the Miami Marlins, Stephen Lewis and Mark Wood. Photo provided

Jennifer Arndt, Chris Bell and Marshall Duane, all of Merrill Lynch in Delray Beach, helped raise $106,100 at the second celebrity golf tournament benefiting Achievement Centers for Children & Families. The event featured Major League Baseball players grouped with foursomes. Proceeds will go toward the development of the Nature Playscape at the agency’s Nancy K. Hurd campus, where 125 preschoolers and their families can learn about the connection between nature and healthy living as well as the importance of environmental stewardship.

Kathy Adkins and Frank Weed. Photos provided by Warner-Prokos Photography

Ellen Elam and Karen Sweetapple. Photos provided by Warner-Prokos Photography

Impact 100 Palm Beach County members and prospective members applauded the 26 nonprofits named as semifinalists in the chance to receive one of multiple $100,000 grants. The finalists will be announced in March; they then will pre­sent their projects at the Grand Awards in April, when votes will be cast to award the funds.

The Garden of Lights at Mounts Botanical Garden of Palm Beach County was a success thanks to a $10,000 donation from The Gentlemen of the Garden.
The colorful Christmastime show that extended into January turned the treasured grounds all atwinkle on select evenings. Visitors marveled at jewel-toned illuminations of the lush tropical foliage, majestic trees and signature structures.
“Bob Eigelberger and The Gentlemen of the Garden have a long history with Mounts,” Curator-Director Rochelle Wolberg said. “Now, thanks to their generous support, this year’s Garden of Lights was a magical way to light up the holiday season for couples, families and groups of all sizes.”
Send news and notes to Amy Woods at flamywoods@bellsouth.net.

Children decorated the hearts on the Legacy Wall. Photo provided
Founded in 1969 as the Community Child Care Center of Delray Beach, Achievement Centers for Children & Families began as a pilot program in response to the overwhelming need for affordable care for the sons and daughters of low-income working mothers.
Fifty years later, the organization has expanded to serve 900 local children and their families annually at three sites.
In recognition of the numerous programs that help prepare youths for academic and social success as well as inspire them to discover their talents, a Legacy Wall has been installed at the Barbara D. Smith Toddler Center. The children who attended the installation added artistic touches to the decorative hearts that make up the wall.

The late Bessie and Raymond Kravis in an undated photograph. Photo provided by the Kravis Center

Delray Beach resident Jeffrey Stoops, chairman of the Kravis Center, recently announced that the performing arts hall’s capital campaign, Kravis 2020, was given a big boost.

The Raymond and Bessie Kravis Foundation has gifted $10 million to the expansion project. As a result, the center’s new urban plaza will be named the Kravis Family Plaza.

“Throughout the years, the Kravis family has continued their parents’ legacy of supporting the center through its foundation,” Stoops said. “Their steadfast commitment has played an important role in contributing to the cultural well-being of the community and in introducing us to artists who have not previously appeared in Florida. We are truly grateful that the family has continued such an outstanding tradition of support for the center and its mission.”

Jason Hagensick, president and CEO of the YMCA of South Palm Beach County, with campaign Chairwoman Jackie Reeves and board Chairman Christopher Warren. Photo provided

With support from more than 1,400 donors, the YMCA of South Palm Beach County raised $684,607 for its 2019 Annual Giving Campaign, far surpassing its target of $600,000.
The donations, a record amount, will enhance the agency’s ability to provide assistance to people in need.
“This is a huge accomplishment and would not have been possible without the dedication and hard work of all our campaign volunteers and staff,” campaign Chairwoman Jackie Reeves said. “In addition, 100% of donations are restricted for the Y’s financial-assistance programs, so donors can feel proud about making an immediate and lasting impact to those in need.”

By Scott Simmons

The Plate: Steak and Eggs
The Place: Sande’s, 1717 N. Federal Highway, Delray Beach. 561-272-9104. Cash only.
The Price: $11.50
The Skinny: It’s everyone’s favorite breakfast place, so I’ve been told.

So I’m adding Sande’s to my list of go-to spots for a weekend breakfast or lunch. The Sunday morning we visited, the restaurant was packed and had a waiting list. Once seated, we ordered comfort food. The steak and eggs? Well, the beef is not like that in a steakhouse.

But it was the centerpiece of a hearty breakfast, with a slice of New York cut sirloin, two eggs ordered sunny side up, so the yolks yielded to the fork, offering gooey goodness. Oh, and the biscuit offered on the side was homemade and the sliced tomatoes were sweet and fresh.

Despite their small size, microgreens, like these sold at the Lake Worth Beach Farmer's Market, pack a nutritional punch, often containing higher nutrient levels than more mature vegetable greens. Linda Haase/The Coastal Star

By Linda Haase

“Even when it rains we shine.”

With a motto like that it’s no wonder the Lake Worth Beach Farmer’s Market — now in its 14th year — is so popular. But there are plenty of other reasons people make this market part of their Saturday ritual.

“We are literally on a peninsula with water views almost everywhere you look. We offer free parking, but we also love to see people walk, bike or drive their golf carts here. There is also a beach to dock your kayak and a boat dock,” says Emily Theodossakos, the bustling market’s former manager, who took over the helm after founder Peter Robinson retired this season.

The pet-friendly market at Old Bridge Park at the corner of A1A and Lake Avenue is shady, compact and easy to navigate. And with nearly 60 vendors, there’s plenty to experience.

Truffle cheese? Check. S’mores cupcakes? Absolutely. Artisan jewelry, clothes, notecards and more? It’s all here. Live music? Check it out, along with quiches, microgreens, keto desserts, organic pickles, seafood, lush plants, glass art, brisket or octopus tacos — and even a chiropractor. The list is nearly endless.

“Our market is more than just a place to shop and go. Those who really get the best out of it are the ones who stroll through slowly, check out all the different vendors, and just relax and have a coffee, juice or meal by the waterfront,” says Theodossakos.

You’ll meet some extraordinary vendors, like Nathalie Cormouls Verre, whose one-of-a-kind Blu Nomad attire is not only immensely wearable, it’s making an impact across the world. She designs the clothes but they’re handcrafted by widows in India.

“I am happy to support them and their kids, and proud to allow them to walk on their path to independence and dignity,” she explains on her Facebook page.

Alicia Falcone, whose Shogo Zen Art booth beckons with her unique hand-dyed scarves, towels, bags and other creative endeavors, often studies abroad learning crafts like rice-paper lamps and indigo shibori from the masters. Falcone, a feng shui consultant and Zen painter, is imaginative down to the very last detail.

Whether you go home with seafood, clothes or other goods, it all makes a difference, says Theodossakos. “Shopping helps the local economy and helps to support many small businesses and their families more than people know. Many of our vendors either live in Lake Worth Beach or have small businesses there or nearby. So the market really is the epitome of ‘shopping local.’”

It often serves as a business incubator, she explains, giving entrepreneurs who don’t have money to open a restaurant or store front a start: “The market gives them the opportunity to build up their business and a regular customer base, which often leads to the opportunity to open a store or restaurant.”

It also brings residents from neighboring towns together, she says. “Many of our customers come from South Palm Beach and we love that we provide an opportunity for people from both sides of the bridge to meet, interact and get to know each other.”

Theodossakos loves the vibe of the market, but wants to mix things up a bit. So she created the Lunar Market, a monthly evening event at the same locale (the next one is Feb. 13, 6-10 p.m.) with boutiques, creative chefs, entertainment, libations — and a full moon.

What can visitors expect?

“Same great location, totally different experience.”

GREEN MARKETS

Boca Raton Greenmarket every Saturday at City Hall (north side), 201 W Palmetto Park Rd. 8 am-1 pm. Free. downtownboca.org; 299-8684 elilly707@aol.com

Delray Beach Greenmarket every Saturday at Old School Square Park, 50 NE 2nd Ave, one block north of Atlantic Ave. Fresh local produce, baked goods, gourmet food items, plants, live music, children’s activities. 9am-2pm. 276-7511; delraycra.org

Lantana Greenmarket every Sunday at Bicentennial Park, 321 E Ocean Ave. 10 am-2 pm. 515-9919; shorelinegreenmarkets.com

Lake Worth Farmers Market every Saturday by the bridge at A1A. 1873 Lake Ave, Lake Worth. 9 am-1 pm. Free. 547-3100; lakeworthfarmersmarket.com

By Joyce Reingold

It may be a mouthful, but the pooled cohort risk assessment equation is a helpful phrase to add to your lexicon in February, American Heart Month.

And with this being a leap year, we have 24 extra hours this month to spend understanding heart disease risks and engaging in heart-healthy pursuits.

“I think it’s important that everybody over the age of 40 know what their cardiovascular risk factors are. They should be aware of their own family history and they need to speak with their physician about assessing their long-term risks for heart disease and stroke in the future,” says Dr. Carlos Victorica, a family physician with Boca Raton Regional Hospital’s BocaCare network.

“We don’t want the first sign of heart disease to be a heart attack. We’ve failed in that case.”

Victorica cites the assessment tool, for individuals over the age of 40, as one of the most important diagnostic advances in recent years. It uses factors such as gender, age, race, cholesterol level and blood pressure to calculate cardiovascular risks.

“We now really try and give you a risk score so we know within a certain probability what the chances would be of a heart attack or stroke within 10 years. And we use that to help dictate what level of testing we do,” he says. “There are all sorts of new tests that we can now do by doing this risk stratification.”

Since President Lyndon B. Johnson established American Heart Month in a December 1963 proclamation, the body of research and recommendations has changed and grown exponentially. Today, doctors regularly emphasize the importance of lifestyle changes — particularly a healthy diet and regular exercise — to stave off heart disease. The recommendations are familiar, but a heart-themed month offers a good opportunity for a refresher.

The American Heart Association recommends:

• “Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity each week, or 75 minutes of vigorous activity (or an equal combination of both) each week,” the AMA says on its website.

Victorica says: “I try and tell people that it should be something that is pushing your fitness. It depends on your risk factors and co-morbidities, but if you have the capability to do more vigorous exercise, I encourage it.”

A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed that people who could “do more” on a treadmill during an exercise stress test — regardless of whether they were smokers or had diabetes or high blood pressure — tended to outlive their counterparts, Victorica says.

“I want it to be something where you’re trying to get more physically fit than where you’re at now,” he says. “The main thing I try to do is to make an agreement with the patient where we can have a reasonable goal.”

• “Eat a variety of nutritious foods from all the food groups,” the AMA recommends.

Victorica says to think plant-based foods. He suggests that parents with children at home start inching up a meal’s vegetable quotient to half of the plate. That advice goes for the grown-up set, too.

“I say a plant-based diet, but it’s not that they should become vegetarian. It’s more that the bulk of what they put on their plates should be plant- or legume-based. I do still want them to have meats and, to some degree, animal products because protein is very filling — especially animal protein — and it allows them to consume less carbohydrates,” he says.

“And that’s my bigger issue. We’ve really vilified and demonized fats and cholesterol and meat so much that people … just consume a lot of carbohydrates. And that becomes a bigger problem,” he says.

“I’d rather that we still focus on the main thing that we know is good for you, which is really just fruits, vegetables, legumes and nuts … just a healthy, balanced diet.”

Victorica says he also tells patients, “Life is a marathon and the goal is to try and make small bite-size changes that lead to something greater over time.”

That’s good advice for matters of the heart — heck, life in general — in this leap year and beyond.

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

Photos by Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

By Deborah S. Hartz-Seeley

To get the most out of your visit to the Karesansui or Zen garden at the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens in Delray Beach, put away your cellphone and pay attention to what’s around you.

Then, as you experience the peace that seems to envelop and emanate from this garden, let it guide you toward mindfulness just as the Zen Buddhist monks used viewing these  gardens to aid their meditation.

“Visiting the garden is like a mini-therapy session,” says garden curator Heather Grzybek, who explains that the Karesansui Late Rock Garden, dating from the 15th and 16th centuries, is one of six historic Japanese gardens represented at Morikami.

Heather Grzybek, garden curator at the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens, rakes the Karesansui Late Rock Garden into a wave pattern that mimics the water. The shrubs to the left represent mountains and the rocks in the background are islands. 

Here, carefully chosen rocks and granite gravel, instead of plants, represent the essence of nature. Boulders, with their best faces forward, are set in a grouping of three to represent islands; the precisely raked gravel suggests water rippling around the stones.

Although this garden is reminiscent of a traditional Zen garden in Japan, it has unique touches. For example, a traditional rock garden has walls on all four sides to create an intimate space that helps you focus on the here and now instead of what is around the corner.

But this one has tile-topped stucco walls on only three sides with a hedge filling the void. That’s because the garden’s designer Hoichi Kurisu, who was born and educated in Japan, believed that when the garden was created in 1999, Japan had been a closed society. He wanted his country to be more open for the new millennium. “So, he broke the wall,” says Grzybek.

When it comes to maintaining the beauty of this garden, Grzybek or a volunteer spends about 90 minutes sculpting the gravel.

The process — done at least weekly — begins with a leaf rake used in one direction to remove any debris covering the stones. Then a heavy homemade wooden rake with large wedge-shaped teeth and a bamboo handle fashions the gravel to look like current and waves.

Grzybek uses a wooden rake with a bamboo handle to pull the gravel into patterns.

“It’s a very methodical way of raking,” Grzybek says. “You don’t just rake here and there. It’s almost like a dance. Each step leads to the next.”

When she’s done, no footprints remain. If a visitor bypasses the subtle bamboo barricades and leaves footprints in the gravel or rain ruins the current and wave pattern, the job has to be done more often.

The work is hard.

“Often it’s 85 to 90 degrees with 100% humidity and the sun is reflecting off the gravel right into your face. Your brain is already telling you that you don’t want to do this,” she says. But Grzybek has learned that these forces of nature help her focus.

“It’s almost like what you experience in a yoga session,” she says.

As you approach the garden, notice backless wooden benches overlooking the meticulously combed gravel and carefully placed boulders.

The garden is designed to be viewed from one vantage point so that no single element draws your attention. You see the landscape as a whole, as if it is a museum exhibit.

A lantern stands sentry in the garden.

Of course, it’s up to you how you experience this garden. You can hurry in, grab a selfie and move on to another historic garden. Or you can take a seat, turn off your phone, quiet your mind so you don’t think about that game on television tonight or what to make for dinner. Then, just let yourself be.

That’s how Buddhist monks have experienced these types of gardens for centuries and that’s how this Karesansui garden can remain relevant as a spiritual resting place for visitors today.

To see a Karesansui raking demonstration at Morikami, go there at 10:30 a.m. on Feb. 22. It’s free with admission to the museum and gardens. For details, call 561-495-0233.

If You Go
What: Karesansui Late Rock Garden at Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens
Where: 4000 Morikami Park Road, Delray Beach
More info: 561-495-0233; www.morikami.org
Public programs: The garden holds periodic raking demonstrations and soon will add “raking as therapy” sessions to its calendar. Raking demos are scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Feb. 22 and 10:30 a.m. March 27. The demos are free with paid admission; check the website for more information.
Admission: Adults, $15: seniors 65 and up, $13; youngsters (ages 6-17), $9; children (5 and under), free; no discounts on festival days
Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday; closed Mondays and major holidays

Deborah S. Hartz-Seeley can be reached at debhartz@att.net.

Honorary Executive Chef Patrick Duffy with Flavors 2020 Chairwoman Richalyn Miller (left) and Cristy Stewart-Harfmann at The Addison in Boca Raton. Photo provided

By Jan Norris

Once again, the Junior League of Boca Raton kicks off its year with the annual food and wine extravaganza Flavors 2020, on Feb. 6 at The Addison.

The 11th year of the dine-around format has 30 South Florida restaurants serving up tasting plates for guests. They get to vote on their favorites this year, and a people’s choice will be awarded.

Among the participating restaurants: Harvest Seasonal Grill, Kapow Noodle Bar, Loch Bar, M.E.A.T. Eatery and Taproom, Melting Pot, Lemongrass Asian Bistro, Just Salad, Ramen Lab Eatery, Benihana’s, Burton’s Grill and Bar, and Rebel House.

The theme is “Fall in Love with JLBR” — a tie-in to Valentine’s Day.

Flavors committee Chairwoman Richalyn Miller of JLBR worked with the volunteers who stage the fete. Patrick Duffy, The Addison chef and honorary executive chef of the event, serves as coordinator for food and beverage.

Along with the food stations, unlimited wine, craft beer and spirits are available. A raffle, a number of pop-up shops and a live auction are included.

A DJ and live entertainment, including Fred Astaire dancers, will perform.

VIP ticket holders will have their own lounge and get early admission at 6 p.m. and swag bags.

It’s typically a sold-out event with only 600 tickets available.

Proceeds from the all-volunteer event benefit the Junior League of Boca Raton and its community projects, including promoting children’s welfare, eliminating hunger, and supporting Boca’s community diaper bank. 

Junior League of Boca Raton’s Flavors 2020, Feb. 6 at The Addison, 2 E. Camino Real, Boca Raton. Tickets are $100 general admission, $165 for VIP entry. For information and tickets, call the Junior League at 561-620-2553 or go to www.JLBR.org.

Boca Bacchanal is ready to rock the town March 6 and 7. Several events lead up to Boca’s largest wine and food festival, including this month’s Bubbles and Burgers.

Feb. 20 at the Boca Beach Club, Bubbles and Burgers is hosted by the Alina residences. It’s an informal bash with a wide variety of specialty burgers and a selection of Champagne, sparkling and still wines to taste.

Tickets for the party, 6-8:30 p.m., are $100.

Vintner dinners are set for March 6 in private residences and historic sites around Boca Raton. Limited tickets to the dinners are $350.

Six chefs or pairs of chefs have been matched with local resident hosts and vineyard representatives. A multicourse dinner prepared by visiting chefs is the highlight.

The Grand Tasting, set for March 7, is usually a sell-out. The dine-around at the Boca Raton Resort and Club features top wineries pouring samples to match foods prepared by local and visiting chefs.

More than 100 live and silent auction items will be up for bid, including travel packages, wine, perfume, electronics, art works, and experience packages.

To learn more about any of the events or to buy tickets, go to www.bocabacchanal.com.

Prime Catch in Boynton Beach is opening its new dock-and-dine Prime Island bar with events Feb. 7-9. The restaurant has already redecorated the dining room, which now offers water views from every table.

With the new docks, Prime Catch will accommodate more boats. The bar is situated right on the docks. A special Bar Bites menu is in place as well.

For a look, get to one of these events:

Feb. 7, Happy Hour: At all bars, 3-6 p.m. and again 9-11 p.m. Live music, complimentary chef’s table with light bites from the new menu, signature cocktail specials and more.

Feb. 8, Prime Island: Boat display, live music, special tastings and half off Bar Bites menu.

Feb. 9, Prime for Brunch: New brunch menu, Bloody Mary bar with $5 Grey Goose, bottomless mimosas for $15, live music and boating “Funday” on Prime Island.

Prime Catch is open daily for lunch and dinner 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. For more info, phone 561-737-8822 or go to www.primecatchboynton.com.

Lionfish, a sustainable seafood restaurant, is a San Diego import coming to Delray Beach, opening this spring on Atlantic Avenue.
The James Beard Foundation twice recognized the restaurant as a Smart Catch Leader for its sustainable “sea to table” menu.

It will go into the former Luigi’s Coal Fired Pizza space next to Johnny Brown’s.

Lionfish — the namesake fish — is the invasive species decimating reefs locally, as it has nearly no predators. The meat on it is sweet and marketable, but handling the fish’s poison-laced spines is a drawback to mass harvest.

The fish isn’t on the menu at the San Diego location, but with the restaurant’s commitment to locally sourced seafood, there’s a good chance it will appear on the South Florida version.

Sushi and entrees featuring sustainables such as snapper, octopus, shrimp, lobster and mussels are on the San Diego menu and expected to be on Delray’s.

Chef Jose “JoJo” Ruiz of the San Diego restaurant will oversee the startup of this second location. A March opening is expected.
The group behind the restaurant, Clique Hospitality, operates a number of “boutique” restaurants in Las Vegas and California and presents celebrity events featuring foods.

Lionfish will be at 307 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach.

The Butcher & The Bar, coming to 510 Ocean Ave. in Boynton Beach, aims to be a full-service butcher shop, restaurant and old-school bar playing vinyl records. Chef Daniel Ramos of Red Splendor Sausage, and former chef at the Sundy House in Delray Beach, is behind it. No opening date is yet set. Watch the progress at www.butcherandbar.com.

We reported last month that Jewell Bistro would be moving from Lake Worth Beach into the Ambassador Hotel in Palm Beach. After press time, we learned owner Dak Kerprich could not reach an agreement with the owners of the hotel and the deal is off. Jewell remains open in Lake Worth. No word on what restaurant will go into the former Sergio’s at the Ambassador.

Briefly:

The Boca Raton City Council gave a nod to Restaurant Row, an area in front of the new complex approved at Butts Road and Town Center Road. Four 5,000-square-foot spaces are available, plus patios. Already there’s a call out for a bakery, sushi and “high-end Italian” from Prakas & Co., broker for the complex.

The South Florida Garlic Fest, now held in John Prince Park in Lake Worth Beach, is celebrating its 21st anniversary Feb. 8-9. Among the new offerings this year are a garlic-avocado grilled cheese, sensory play zones for people on the spectrum and others; and “luxury potties” available to $5 all-day potty-pass holders. Tri-Rail offers a $5 “ride all day” weekend fare. Go to www.garlicfestfl.com to get all the info and tickets.

Jeremy Bearman and spouse Cindy Bearman, owners of Oceano Kitchen in Lantana, are opening the doors at their new seafood restaurant High Dive, in downtown West Palm Beach. The 5,000-square-foot space in Rosemary Square, formerly B.B. King’s Restaurant and Blues, will focus on small plates of globally inspired seafood. The creative pastry and dessert menu was created by Cindy, a veteran of noted restaurants across the country. Jessie Bell will lead the beverage program. https://www.loc8nearme.com/florida/lantana/oceano-kitchen/3401308/

Another South County name is also opening in Rosemary Square. Andrew Weil will open a second True Food Kitchen in the old Restoration Hardware space sometime this year. Its sister location is in Boca Raton.

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

By Christine Davis

Dr. Peter Asnis has been appointed medical director of HSS Florida, the soon-to-open new home of Hospital for Special Surgery, which has been ranked No. 1 in the nation for orthopedics for the past 10 years by U.S. News & World Report. 

A specialist in knee and shoulder sports injuries, Asnis was trained at HSS in New York before serving as the lead physician/medical director for the Boston Bruins, head team orthopedic surgeon for the Boston Red Sox, and a team physician for the New England Patriots. He rejoins HSS from Massachusetts General Hospital, where he was chief of the Sports Medicine Service.

He earned his undergraduate degree cum laude in biology at Harvard College and his MD with honors in research from what is now known as Weill Cornell Medicine.

Asnis completed his orthopedic residency at HSS in New York. He completed a fellowship in orthopedic sports medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital, afterward joining the hospital staff. Asnis is an assistant professor of orthopedic surgery at Harvard Medical School.

A board certified orthopedic surgeon with subspecialty certification in sports medicine, he is a member of the Team Physician Societies for the National Football League, the National Hockey League and Major League Baseball. 

HHS Florida is at 300 Palm Beach Lakes Blvd., West Palm Beach. The new 60,000-square-foot center will offer outpatient orthopedic care, including radiology, ambulatory surgery, rehabilitation and sports performance programs.

HSS Florida will specialize in hand and upper extremity treatment, hip and knee replacement, physiatry, shoulder surgery, sports medicine, and treatment of trauma and fractures.

A satellite location is open at 1395 S. State Road 7, Suite 410, Wellington.

 
Dr. Larry Bush has become the 2020 president of the Palm Beach County Medical Society.

Bush has practiced in the specialized field of infectious diseases in Palm Beach County since 1989. He is an affiliated professor of medicine at the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine at Florida Atlantic University, as well as affiliated associate professor of medicine at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.

He received his bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Pennsylvania, and his medical degree from the Medical College of Pennsylvania. He did his residency in internal medicine at the Pennsylvania Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania Health System, where he went on to serve as chief medical resident.

He completed specialty training as a fellow in infectious diseases at the Medical College of Pennsylvania before relocating to South Florida. 

 
In addition to walking in and waiting, anyone with a minor illness or injury can now reserve a spot at a Baptist Health South Florida Urgent Care or Urgent Care Express. With the “Save My Spot” online reservation system, patients can select a desired arrival time at one of the Baptist Health Urgent Care centers, complete a basic form and wait from home.

“During flu season, patient volumes in our centers can be high. With Save My Spot, our patients will spend considerably less time sitting in a busy waiting room when they’re feeling under the weather,” said Luis Bellmas, vice president of outpatient services, which includes Baptist Health’s Urgent Care and Urgent Care Express centers.

Moving from the No. 23 spot last year, Florida Atlantic University’s Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing’s online master’s degree in nursing is now ranked No. 7 in the nation and is the top-ranked program in Florida for “Best Online Graduate Programs” in 2020 by U.S. News & World Report.

FAU’s College of Business, College of Education and overall online bachelor’s programs also made the list.

“Our college is grounded in caring science, which also extends to and is integrated into the delivery of our online graduate programs,” said Safiya George, Ph.D., dean of the College of Nursing. “Faculty, staff and students co-labor together to ensure a positive online learning experience, full engagement with the content and learning environment and mastery of content.

“A combination of exceptional talent, use of best practices, and great leadership from our associate dean for academic programs, Dr. Kay Edwards, and our assistant dean for graduate programs, Dr. Joy Longo, are the keys attributable to this success.”

The FAU College of Nursing’s online master of science degree programs include nursing administration and financial leadership, a 37- to 39-credit-hour program; clinical nurse leader, a 33-credit-hour program; and advanced holistic nursing, a 33-credit-hour program.

The College of Nursing also offers a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner post-master’s certificate, a 22-credit-hour program.

The crew aboard Old No. 7, including Capt. Jamie Ralph, pulls into Sailfish Marina on Jan. 10 after winning the 83rd annual Silver Sailfish Derby, with a two-day total of 17 sailfish releases. Willie Howard/The Coastal Star

By Willie Howard

Three Delray Beach natives ran the top boat in the 83rd annual Silver Sailfish Derby, held Jan. 9-10 despite heavy seas and stout winds.

Capt. Jamie Ralph skippered the Old No. 7, while his brother, Dane Ralph, and another Delray Beach native, Nick Cardella, handled the rigging, fishing kites and lines in the cockpit to help the team’s anglers release 17 sailfish in the two-day tournament.

The Ralph brothers honed their fishing skills working out of Boynton Harbor Marina on various private and charter boats. Cardella grew up fishing the ocean with family and friends and bass fishing from a skiff in the canals around Delray Beach.

Old No. 7’s anglers — Austin Musselman of Louisville, Ky., John Duval of Lantana and Billy Bryan of Lantana — chalked up a respectable six releases on Jan. 9, then went on a roll the second day by catching and releasing another 11 sailfish to beat second-place Native Son, which finished with 14 releases. (Native Son Capt. Art Sapp of Pompano Beach ran the top boat, Liquid, in the 2016 Derby).

A few of the 50 registered teams chose not to fish this year because of heavy seas driven by easterly winds that topped 25 mph at times.

One captain said his heart was pounding as he ran his boat through the Palm Beach Inlet on the afternoon of Jan. 9 — when the outgoing tide was pushing against the wind to produce tall waves.

The ride was rough for the Old No. 7 crew, but the 62-foot Titan sportfishing boat was among the largest vessels in the Derby, a sailfish release tournament that the West Palm Beach Fishing Club started in 1935.

“It was so rough you couldn’t even see land half the time,” Cardella said, adding that the view through his sunglasses was blurred by saltwater on the lenses during much of the tournament.

The Old No. 7 team welcomed family and children aboard to celebrate the victory with champagne, some of which was sprayed on crew members who were already soaked in saltwater.

Capt. Travis Ralph of the Reel Captivating team stopped by to congratulate his brothers, Jamie and Dane. Reel Captivating finished 23rd, with five sailfish releases.

The Chips Ahoy fishing team, led by Capt. Chip Sheehan of Boynton Beach, tied for ninth place, with nine sailfish releases. Sheehan operates Chips Ahoy Charters based at Boynton Harbor Marina.

Team No Regrets, led by Capt. Chris Agardy, operator of Fish Envy Charters at Boynton Harbor Marina, finished 18th with six releases.

A total of 244 sailfish were released in two days of fishing. That compares with 201 sailfish released by 43 teams in last year’s Derby.

Restoration takes shape in Lake Worth Lagoon

The first phase of the Tarpon Cove island-building restoration project, located on the west side of the Lake Worth Lagoon in West Palm Beach, is complete, with the second phase to begin this spring. Willie Howard/The Coastal Star

Palm Beach County recently completed the first phase of Tarpon Cove — another island-building environmental restoration project in the Lake Worth Lagoon, the county’s largest estuary.

The Tarpon Cove project eventually will restore 46 acres on the west side of the lagoon near West Palm Beach’s historic El Cid neighborhood.

The Palm Beach County Department of Environmental Resources Management used sand dredged for the Rybovich Marina expansion as well as the town of Palm Beach’s channel dredging and the Florida Inland Navigation District’s dredging of the Intracoastal Waterway to fill a dredged hole in the area that had accumulated muck, creating an unstable bottom.

The first phase of the Tarpon Cove project — two mangrove islands — cost $814,000.

Tarpon Cove’s restored shallows will create nearly 35 acres of bottom where sea grass can grow as well as 2.7 acres of mangrove tidal marsh and 2.1 acres of oyster reef.

The islands and shallows, planted in part with mangroves and cordgrass, will improve water quality and provide habitat for fish and wildlife. Limestone boulders surrounding the islands will protect them from erosion.

County environmental officials said coastal birds used the islands while they were under construction in the fall, including black skimmers, royal terns and ruddy turnstones.

Last spring, a pair of American oystercatchers nested on the piles of sand and produced a pair of chicks.

Phase 2 of Tarpon Cove, scheduled to begin this spring, will create three more mangrove islands and is scheduled for completion in early 2021.

Miami Boat Show set for Feb. 13-17

The Progressive Insurance Miami International Boat Show, based at Miami Marine Stadium Park & Basin on Virginia Key, is scheduled to run Feb. 13-17.

Show hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., except on Feb. 17, when the show closes at 5 p.m.

Adult admission (ages 13 and older) is $45 on Feb. 13 and $30 other days.

Free shuttles will be offered from Brightline’s Miami station and several parking garages.

For details and a transportation map, visit www.miamiboatshow.com.

Coming events

Feb. 1: New rules take effect for spotted sea trout in South Florida. Under the new rules, sea trout must be between 15 and 19 inches in total length to be legal to keep. For details, visit www.myfwc.com and look for rules on recreational saltwater fishing.

Feb. 4: Boynton Beach Boating and Fishing Club meets, 7 p.m. at the clubhouse building near the boat ramps, Harvey E. Oyer Jr. Park, 2010 N. Federal Highway, Boynton Beach. Call 561-614-1550 or visit https://bbbfc.org.

Feb. 22: Basic boating safety class offered by Coast Guard Auxiliary, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the classroom building next to the boat ramps, Harvey E. Oyer Jr. Park, 2010 N. Federal Highway, Boynton Beach. Fee $20. Register at the door. Call 561-331-2429.

Tip of the month

Fish in the surf for winter pompano. If you don’t have a long surf-casting rod, use a standard spinning rod holding a banana-shaped pompano jig, such as the Gulfstream High Jinks, which comes with a trailing tail.

Tie the jig to 30-pound leader and cast to a sandbar where waves are stirring up muddy water. Move it slowly, twitching, along the bottom and remember to pause. Pompano feed head-down, searching for crustaceans.

A Florida saltwater fishing license is required, unless exempt. Minimum size: 11 inches to the fork of the tail. Daily bag limit: six pompano.

Willie Howard is a freelance writer and licensed boat captain. Reach him at tiowillie@bellsouth.net.

Shay Maimoni, founder of Loxahatchee-based Woof Dogs, has trained dogs for many roles, including police, service and therapy. With him here is Asia, a 6-year-old Dutch shepherd who is a trained patrol and drug detection dog. Photo provided

By Arden Moore

Whether you recently adopted a puppy or rescued a dog from an animal shelter, brace yourself for the first year you share with that canine. I dub it the Wonder Year.

You wonder where your sanity went. Unfortunately, fast-growing pups do not come with owner’s manuals. Shelter adoptees often need time to adjust to life inside your home.

Yep, expect shoes to be chewed, potty piddles to dampen your rugs and plenty of puppy mischief to occur. And, kiss goodbye your uninterrupted sleep at night as your pup’s bladder develops and he works on his bathroom etiquette skills.

But these disruptions and destructions are worth it. With the right training, your canine pal will blossom into a well-mannered dog you are proud to take on walks and trips and hang out with at home.

During this time of year, a lot of pups and dogs are trying to adjust in homes after being adopted during the holidays. The best gift you can give your new pet is to invest the time and patience to school him on the basic doggy commands like sit, stay and leave it, as well as hone his social skills in meeting other dogs and people and walking politely on a leash.

That’s why I reached out to Shay Maimoni, head dog trainer and founder of Woof Dogs, where his team’s motto is, “We speak your dog’s language.”

Born in Israel, Maimoni didn’t grow up with a dog. But while he served in the Israeli Navy and then the Air Force, his officers noticed the natural affinity he had working with the military dogs in training.

“I asked a lot of questions to the canine handlers on the base and after feeding and walking the dogs, I got to get into dog training and the head of the base told me that I was a natural at it,” says Maimoni.

He moved to Florida, and for nearly two decades he has trained all types of dogs, including police dogs, service dogs, therapy dogs, aggressive dogs as well as friendly family dogs that needed to learn doggy manners.

He continues to expand his knowledge of dogs and is an in-demand speaker at dog training and behavior conferences. Recently, he launched a dog trainer school at Woof Dogs for people interested in entering this profession.

When it comes to working with aggression in dogs of any size, Maimoni follows three rules:

“Ignore fear, encourage curiosity and correct aggression immediately,” he says. “Never pet a dog if he is afraid or shows signs of fearful aggression. Use praise and treats to encourage desired behaviors and if a dog lunges at another dog or a person, correct that dog immediately with a leash and collar.”

Because no two dogs are alike in temperament or attitude, Maimoni customizes training for his clients.

Among them is Ellen DeRogatis of Delray Beach. Ten years ago, she hired Maimoni to help her train Bonaparte, a bichon frisé affectionately nicknamed Bones. Her beloved dog died recently and DeRogatis is back for training tips for her bichon frisé pup named Cassidy.

“What Shay does in dog training is just magic,” says DeRogatis. “When Shay worked with Bones and me, my dog listened to him immediately. He understands dogs and taught me. I had the most excellent pet in Bones and I owe that to Shay. Now, he is working with me and Cassidy. He makes it easy to learn.”

The happy and fast-growing Cassidy is learning sit, down and come, as well as resisting the urge to leap up to greet guests in the home DeRogatis shares with her husband, Brad Keller.

For her, training Cassidy is worth the time and the financial investment.

“Training enables you to have a pet you can really enjoy without the worry of the dog damaging your things, jumping on guests or doing annoying things,” she says. “Shay is teaching Cassidy and me about being consistent and repetitive in our training sessions.”

Maimoni shares his home in Loxahatchee with UT, a Belgian Malinois; Harley, a German shepherd he rescued from being chained in a backyard; Auggie, a Dutch shepherd; Lychee, a senior Cavalier King Charles spaniel, and Onyx, a Staffordshire bull terrier.

With his dogs, training is always part of the daily routine. Maimoni has used all the tools, including his training techniques plus the use of CBD oil to tame thunderstorm phobias in Auggie and improve mobility in 14-year-old Lychee.

“With dogs, it is generally all about giving guidance and building trust so that they feel comfortable around you and then are open to learning,” he says. “I feel very fortunate to be able to devote my life to training dogs and their people.”

For more information on Woof Dogs’ one-on-one, in-home training, group classes and its doggy boot camp, please click on https://woofdogs.com. If you are interested in becoming a dog trainer, learn more at https://edu.woofdogs.com.

Arden Moore, founder of fourleggedlife.com, is an animal behavior expert and host of the Oh Behave! show on petliferadio.com. Learn more at www.ardenmoore.com.

Carl Crispin (center), with his 321 Improv partners Mike Domeny and Jeremy Schofield, will perform Feb. 21 at a benefit for Boca Raton Christian School student activities. Photo provided

By Janis Fontaine

Boca Raton’s Carl Crispin usually sees the funny side of things.

“I don’t remember being the class clown, but I joked around,” he says. “I was a character. I wasn’t afraid to get up and talk in front of people.”

Comedy was a natural avenue for the gregarious Crispin. He tried a little stand-up, but it wasn’t a good fit. All that moody introspection just wasn’t him. What he liked was thinking on his feet, coming up with a witty retort to something someone said. Improv was his major carpet ride to a national career in comedy that brings him back to Boca at the end of the month.

On Feb. 21, Crispin, the founder of 321 Improv, and his partners Mike Domeny and Jeremy Schofield will perform at a fundraiser benefiting Boca Raton Christian School’s student activities.

Crispin grew up in Michigan but moved to Boca Raton with his family in 2003. He formed his first comedy group, CPR Improv, in 1992 and toured with that group until he started 321 Improv in 2004.

For the past 16 years, Crispin and his band of brothers have been touring the United States performing “clean comedy” before groups ranging from fewer than 500 to more than 5,000 in 47 of 50 states. College campuses, corporate events, churches and civic groups are all interested in offering entertainment that doesn’t have to offend to be funny.

Crispin describes 321 Improv as “clean comedy for ministry purposes.” The trio is very conservative about the language and the message. “We don’t want to offend anyone. If we do, we’ve pushed it too far,” Crispin said.

For some comics, offending people is the goal. The comedy that dominates the entertainment landscape is designed to push the envelope, ride the razor’s edge of what’s tasteful and culturally acceptable and what’s not. It’s comedy that seeks to startle people.
Then you see 321 on stage, and it’s not much different from hanging out watching football with three funny, friendly guys. “It’s who we are,” Crispin says. “And it’s what God called us to do.”

The interactive element of improv draws audiences into the show. Using suggestions called out from guests, the group performs spontaneous antics that are funny on several levels and appeal to boomers and millennials alike.

“The best thing is to get both a 17- and 70-year-old laughing at the same joke,” Crispin said.

Improv is not easy. You cannot just phone it in. “There are no scripts, and we like that we’re engaged in every show,” Crispin said. “That’s why we don’t get bored.”

Another factor Crispin likes: The shows bring people to church who normally wouldn’t come. “You can invite someone to church a dozen times and they’ll say no, but you can invite them to a comedy show and they’ll come.”

That opens the door for 321 to show skeptics another side of Christianity, a side that doesn’t make them uncomfortable.

Crispin says comedy makes people happy, but that happiness is not the same as joy. Happiness is fleeting, ephemeral. Joy is deeply fulfilling, permanent, timeless.

Crispin and his comedy brothers say that true joy comes from having a personal relationship with God.

“We always point them back to Jesus,” he says.

If You Go
What: 321 Improv Comedy Night
When: 7-8:30 p.m. Feb. 21
Where: Boca Raton Community Church, 470 NW Fourth Ave.
Tickets: $25 and up at www.eventbrite.com/e/321-improv-comedy-night-tickets-88851965621
Info: 561-395-2400; www.321improv.com

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

So Is Life, featuring (l-r) Josh Nelson, Rosalie Will, Ellen Dreskin and Dan Nichols, will perform March 1 at the Temple Beth El Schaefer Family Campus in east Boca Raton. Photo provided

By Janis Fontaine

Cantor Stephen Dubov arrived at Temple Beth El of Boca Raton in 2006 with high hopes, but after just one month in Palm Beach County, died suddenly from an aortic dissection. He was 55.

He had been on his way to Detroit to help his family prepare for its big move from Michigan when he died.

The Stephen Dubov Memorial Concert has since become an annual tradition that rotates from year to year between Temple Beth El and Congregation B’nai Israel in Boca Raton.

This year, its 12th, the concert will feature the musical group So Is Life at 3 p.m. March 1 at the Beth El Schaefer Family Campus in east Boca Raton.

So Is Life features cantor Ellen Dreskin, Josh Nelson, Dan Nichols and cantor Rosalie Will, and it will be led by New York composer/performer Elana Arian in a program of music that goes from sacred to secular and traditional to contemporary.

It reflects Dubov’s diverse life. He was born in Miami Beach, earned a bachelor’s degree in music education at the University of Miami and his cantorial investiture and master’s degree from Hebrew Union College.

What set the cantor apart was his career as a professional actor. He had roles in more than 100 movies and television shows — including a regular role in the daytime soap The Guiding Light — as well as stage acting and performances on Broadway, with the Palm Beach and Miami operas, and the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

The Schaefer campus of Temple Beth El is at 333 SW Fourth Ave., Boca Raton.

Tickets are $100 for reserved benefactor seating, $36 for preferred seating, $18 adults and $10 students for general admission.
Call 561-391-8900 or visit www.tbeboca.org.

Why is happiness elusive?

Community Church will host a seven-week series called Life Explored, a safe, informal conversation about faith and God, beginning Feb. 24 at the church at 600 W. Camino Real, Boca Raton.

Questions up for discussion include this big one: “Why is lasting happiness so hard to find?”

Guests are encouraged to ask questions, share doubts and join the conversation.

Life Explored will meet from 5:30 to 7:10 p.m. Mondays through April 6. Food will be provided. Admission is free but you must register in advance at 561-395-2811 or www.graceboca.org.

For more information about the program, email Lori Harding at lorih@graceboca.org.

Jewish Film Festival

The Palm Beach Jewish Film Festival continues through Feb. 16 at four locations in Palm Beach County: Cinemark Boynton Beach, Cinepolis Jupiter, Cobb Theatres at Downtown at the Gardens and PBSC’s Eissey Campus Theatre.

These are the showtimes for films at the Cinemark at Boynton Beach Mall, 1151 N. Congress Ave.

• Jewish Partisans — 1:30 p.m. Feb. 2
• The Last — 4:30 p.m. Feb. 2
• Leona — 7:30 p.m. Feb. 2
• Amnesia — 1:30 p.m. Feb. 3
• Fiddler: Miracle of Miracles — 4:30 p.m. Feb. 3
• Winter Hunt — 7:30 p.m. Feb. 3
• A Cantor’s Head — 1:30 p.m. Feb. 4
• Gloomy Sunday — 4:30 p.m. Feb. 4
• The Keeper — 7:30 p.m. Feb. 4
• The State Against Mandela and the Others — 1:30 p.m. Feb. 5
• Latter Day Jew — 4:30 p.m. Feb. 5
• The Mover — 7:30 p.m. Feb. 5.
• Witness Theater — 1:30 p.m. Feb. 6
• The Last Supper — 4:30 p.m. Feb. 6
• Crescendo — 7:30 p.m. Feb. 6.
• Back to Berlin — 1:30 p.m. Feb. 7
• The Rabbi Goes West — 7:30 p.m. Feb. 8

For more info: 877-318-0071 or www.pbjff.org.

— Janis Fontaine

Agnes and Jeffrey Stoops with Barbarito. Photo provided

The 31st annual event, themed ‘Ignite the Future,’ raised funds for scholarships in Catholic schools and recognized people with distinguished service records at the Diocese of Palm Beach. Agnes and Jeffrey Stoops were honored for their work at St. Vincent Ferrer Parish in Delray Beach. ‘Thank you for your amen to Catholic education in our diocese,’ Bishop Gerald Barbarito said. ‘Your efforts make Catholic education a priority and ignite the future for our young people who are on their way to something greater.’

Bindi Evans of South Palm Beach wears a dress she designed for the Little Miss Nation pageant. Photo provided

By Janis Fontaine

Pine Crest School fourth-grader Bindiya “Bindi” Evans has big dreams and a big personality to get her there. She’s already a model, pageant winner and a fashion designer; now she’s eager to try her hand at acting. “I think I’ll be good at it,” she says.

The 10-year-old girl has her fingers in lots of pies. She says her friends like her because she’s super-positive, doesn’t take sides and supports conflict resolution. “I’m a Libra,” she says. “I like to balance things.”

Bindi’s credentials include her own fashion line, Bindi Fashion Designs, with dozens of dresses — her strong suit — from frilly to red-carpet ready. She credits Nora Marvilli and her company Bella Fashion for showing her what’s possible.

The South Palm Beach preteen is the reigning “Little Miss U.S. Nation,” a title she won wearing a dress that revealed an American flag. But really, Bindi lives a multinational life. Her mother, Rahonie, is Indian and came to the U.S. from Guyana in South America. She is a family nurse practitioner working in cardiology and internal medicine and is pursuing a doctorate in psychiatric and mental health. Her father, Lee, was born in Missouri, and his heritage is French, Irish and German. He’s a medical technologist who works in a lab.

When Bindi was a baby, they hired a nanny who spoke only Spanish so Bindi would learn the language seamlessly.

She did, and being bilingual helped Bindi land a spot on a Telemundo television show in development, working title “Bella Divas.” Step one: Lessons to get her camera-ready in poise and etiquette, walking and sitting properly, and speaking well, skills she’ll use when she visits New York, London and Milan this spring. When she’s not busy preparing for filming the Telemundo show, she’ll explore fashion, modeling opportunities and show her clothes on those trips. Bindi loves the pageant world, but she’s a savvy girl so she knows that for some people, being nice is just an act. “You can tell who your real friends are,” she says.

They’re the ones who are genuinely happy when you win. Bindi wears her graciousness like an invisible crown. She knows that someone else’s success does not detract from her own accomplishments. She’s excited that in her next pageant, in March in Orlando, she’ll be working on the other side of the aisle, crowning the winners and being a featured performer on the violin.

“I think crowning and the titles inspire kids that don’t have confidence,” she says.

Confidence is one of Bindi’s strengths. She’s direct. She makes eye contact. She’s clever and funny. Her hands fly up to frame her face and to silence her mother so Bindi can tell her own story. Her pageant platform is “kids living without stress.” Stress is something she sees a lot.

Some of it comes from parents, she says, who are under stress too. “Be nice to your parents” is her advice. “You don’t know what they’re going through.” Bindi may not know the word empathy yet, but she already understands it.

Her world is full of the arts. She started violin at 3, is learning piano and guitar, loves to draw and paint and likes reading and writing in school. She finds inspiration and creativity everywhere she goes.

“I get inspired by nature,” she says. “It makes me want to design flowery dresses.” One of her most popular creations is a vibrant floral-print party dress with a wide pink sash. Her favorite pieces are a tutu-inspired two-piece leotard and poodle skirt and a neon green outfit that’s an age-appropriate ace-bandage dress but with a big skirt.

Ask what she loves, and she provides a list: “I love Harry Potter. I love anime. I love theater. I love my guinea pigs, Oreo and Sylvester Stallone. I love being unique.”

Her mom looks surprised when Bindi says, “My friends sometimes call me a weird goofball and I’m OK with that.”
But that’s Bindi. Just go with it.