By Steve Plunkett

    Former Ocean Ridge Vice Mayor Richard Lucibella’s trial will start no sooner than February.
    His defense attorney, Marc Shiner, and Assistant State Attorney Danielle Grundt both agreed last month to the postponement — the trial’s third delay. Circuit Judge Charles Burton rescheduled the case for Feb. 19.
    Shiner also complained that Police Officer Nubia Plesnik’s lawyer, Richard Slinkman, was making it impossible for him to conduct a crucial deposition.
    Plesnik, one of the arresting officers, has filed a civil lawsuit against Lucibella claiming he intentionally pushed and injured her. That means Slinkman “is not a party” to the criminal case and can only make objections if a question infringes on attorney-client privilege, Shiner’s partner Heidi Perlet argued.
    “Slinkman repeatedly objected on numerous other grounds,” Perlet wrote. “He interrupted the proceedings to the point that it was not possible to proceed with the deposition.”
But the judge denied their request that he prohibit Slinkman from attending the deposition or order him to follow court rules on objections.
    Slinkman called Shiner’s depiction of his behavior “absurd and totally inaccurate.”
    “There was absolutely nothing wrong with the objections made,” Slinkman said. “It was simply another attempt for Lucibella and his attorneys to try to bully Officer Plesnik.”
    Lucibella, 64, is charged with battery on a law enforcement officer and resisting arrest with violence — both felonies — and a misdemeanor count of using a firearm while under the influence of alcohol. He has pleaded not guilty.
    Plesnik, fellow Officer Richard Ermeri and Sgt. William Hallahan went to Lucibella’s home Oct. 22, 2016, after neighbors heard gunfire. They confiscated a .40-caliber handgun and found five spent shell casings on the backyard patio.
    They later determined the confiscated handgun belonged to Lt. Steven Wohlfiel, their supervisor, who was with Lucibella during the incident. Both men were “obviously intoxicated,” Ermeri said in his arrest report.
    Lucibella’s criminal trial was originally set to begin in April, then pushed back to June and then October to give Grundt and Shiner time to question all the witnesses.
    Shiner scheduled depositions of Hallahan and Lt. Richard Jones, who conducted the internal affairs investigation of the incident, for Nov. 7 and for Plesnik on Dec. 6.
    He also filed a list of 46 people he may ask to testify at the trial, including an expert witness on the use of force and another expert on police procedures.

Ocean Ridge police secure an area in the 6000 block of Old Ocean Boulevard on Oct. 20 after the body of Amantay Brown, 21, was found on the beach. The Coast Guard, sheriff’s office and other agencies had searched for Brown, who was reported missing shortly after 3 a.m. Oct. 19 after he and some friends went swimming near the Boynton Inlet. Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

Karen Ronald says the library is ‘not just books and materials.’ Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

By Rich Pollack

    Karen Ronald brings everything you would expect to her new job as director of the Delray Beach Public Library.
    She has a master’s degree in library science. She has loads of experience, having led four libraries before arriving in Delray Beach in July, and she loves books and reading.
    Ronald also brings a passion for making a difference — and the library is her tool for doing just that.
    “The potential here to be even better at improving the lives of residents is enormous,” she says.
    Ronald is focused on ensuring the library has all the resources visitors expect. Yet she sees it as more than just a building with books and computers. To her, it’s a place that can serve the community and make it a better place to live for everyone.
    “It’s not just books and materials,” she said. “It’s the connections we make with people — and we do change lives.”
    To illustrate her point, she tells the story of a local homeless man who had a job offer but didn’t have required identification and a home address to put on the application.
    He found a friend in one of the Delray library’s reference librarians who became his coach, helping him navigate his way to receiving proper identification and an address.
    “We connected with that person and changed his life,” Ronald said. “It happens often.”
    Ronald believes a library should not just serve the community but should also be a part of it in many ways. “You have to be responsive to new demands and needs,” she said.
    That’s exactly what the library did soon after Hurricane Irma. Before most people had electricity, the library was open for anyone who needed to use a computer, charge a cellphone or just cool off in air conditioning. Many people used the library resources to reach family members to let them know they were OK.
    In addition, the library hosted organizations that served food in the parking lot.
    “It’s not what you normally think a library would do,” said Nancy Dockerty, who heads the Delray Beach Public Library’s board of directors. “Karen’s very big on community, and that’s what makes her a perfect fit for Delray, because that’s what this city is all about.”
    Ronald’s commitment to serving the city’s diverse community is one of the driving forces behind some new initiatives. She is working to increase the number of books available in Haitian Creole and Spanish. She also would like to have programs, such as story times, conducted in multiple languages.
    With financial support being sought from residents and charitable foundations, the library team also hopes to roll out a bookmobile.
    Instead of just stacks of books inside a bus-sized vehicle, though, the new bookmobile will have iPads, as well as books that can be taken into a community center or school, where staff members can conduct everything from story times to parenting classes.
    “She has a ton of experience,” Dockerty said, adding that Ronald not only ran municipal libraries but also another nonprofit library like Delray Beach’s, which is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit run by a board.
    Before coming to Delray Beach this summer, Ronald — who declined to give her age — spent more than seven years as director of the public library in Fairfield, Connecticut.
    She was one of 70 applicants from around the country for the Delray Beach library job, lured by the challenge and the freedom to innovate, as well as by the weather.
    “I don’t like snow,” she said.
    That might sound strange coming from someone who grew up in Canada and worked there as the political assistant to a member of Parliament. Later, she worked as a political assistant to the Ministry of External Affairs — the Canadian equivalent of the U.S. State Department.
    If that seems like a far different world from running a library, Ronald says both jobs are about finding solutions.
 “I was helping people solve problems all day long,” she says of her time in government.
    Seeking to move in a different direction after the world of politics, Ronald went back to school and earned a master of library and information science degree and a master’s degree in political science. She also worked toward a doctorate in computing science and technology with a concentration on information science.
    With a focus on listening to people in the community and finding ways to help them, Ronald is changing old stereotypes and perceptions.
    “People think librarians are very reserved,” she said. “They don’t always see us as people wanting to move a community forward.”

By Jane Smith

Major construction work at the municipal beach promenade was finished in late October. Smaller items, such as landscaping, remain to be finished by Thanksgiving.
The $3.1 million Delray Beach project includes solar-powered smart meters, a tricolor sidewalk, new beach furniture — benches, showers, water fountains, bike and surfboard racks — and trash containers.
In late October, the contractor replaced concrete sections that were too rough for city standards, said Isaac Kovner, city engineer. The new sections sit south of the Atlantic Avenue pavilion.
A date for the ribbon-cutting has not been chosen, Kovner said. He expects the official opening to take place after Thanksgiving.
Construction of the two gazebos is nearly finished, according to the city’s progress report.
Smart parking meters, already activated on the south end of the beach, will be usable the first full week of November for the northern portion.
Wheelchair users will have independent access to the beach in mid-November. That’s when the Mobi-Mats will arrive, said Suzanne Fisher, parks and recreation director. The mats sit on top of the sand, allowing wheelchair users the ability to roll themselves down to the beach. The mats will be placed at the Atlantic Avenue pavilion entrance.
For safety reasons, the city asks residents and visitors to enter the beach at the designated entrances: across from the Sandoway parking lot on the south end, at the main pavilion at Atlantic Avenue, at the Marriott Hotel crosswalk on the north end and at the Thomas Street crosswalk on the north end.
The city added a third Downtown Trolley route for those choosing to park in the city garages.
For questions about parking during the construction, call Jorge Alarcon at 243-7000, ext. 4112.
For the trolley service questions, call Xavier Falconi at 243-7000 ext. 4113.
The promenade contractor has removed all of the benches with plaques and the city is storing them for the original donors. They each will receive a free inscribed brick near the flagpole at Atlantic Avenue.
For questions about the benches and plaques, call 243-7000, ext. 4119.

Ocean Ridge resident Digby Bridges will become the newest member of the United States Croquet Hall of Fame this month. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

Digby Bridges has been playing croquet since he was 16 and still enjoys the game.
    “It is a thinking game similar to snooker,” said Bridges, a well-known architect and former Ocean Ridge mayor. “All ages can play and women can compete as equals.”
    Bridges played croquet at the Hurlingham Club in England as a young man and won the U.S. Senior Men’s Amateur Championship about 15 years ago.
    On Nov. 17, Bridges will be inducted into the United States Croquet Hall of Fame during a gala at the National Croquet Center in West Palm Beach.
    “I am very pleased that I have been nominated,” said Bridges, 84. “I have always been devoted to the sport and building the croquet center was one of my favorite projects. The style is British Island architecture and the lawns are amazing.”
    Another of his favorite designs is the Ocean Ridge Town Hall. “The good Cape Dutch architecture fits in so well in Ocean Ridge,” he said.
    What didn’t fit so well, but plowed into the building before it was completed in 2008 anyway, was a twin-engine plane.
Bridges recalled that Karen Hancsak, then the town clerk, “called and said, ‘You’re not to believe this, but an airplane crashed into Town Hall.’ ”
    Bridges hurried over to see for himself. “How the pilot survived, I don’t know,” he said.
He said if the plane had hit 20 feet to the west, where the town staffers were headquartered in a trailer, “it would have killed them.”
    While he is no longer part of Bridges, Marsh & Associates, the firm he established in 1977, he remains in close contact with his former longtime partner Mark Marsh, also of Ocean Ridge.
    “We were together for 34 years,” Bridges said. “Usually partnerships don’t last that long.”
    Bridges says he still works on smaller projects and enjoys designing and working together with his wife of 20 years, Gay Bridges, a sales associate with The Corcoran Group and an interior designer.
    They have a second home he designed and she decorated in Cape Town, South Africa. “It’s really delightful,” he said.
    In his spare time, Bridges is working on his biography, one he had planned to write with his younger brother Campbell Bridges — a gemologist credited with discovering tsavorite, a brilliant dark green gemstone, in the 1960s. Tragically, Campbell Bridges was killed in a 2009 mob attack in Kenya in what authorities believed was a dispute over mining rights.
    “He was a hell of a character,” Bridges said, “one of the most influential gemologists in the world.”
 — Mary Thurwachter

    Q. Where did you grow up and go to school? How do you think that has influenced you?
    A. Johannesburg. I went to Hilton College, a private prep school that was a formative part of my life. Hiking into the hills among the wild animals, camping on the weekends, cooking for myself and the discipline required to live in such an atmosphere and still study and earn good grades served me well throughout my life. My father was a geologist.

    Q. What professions have you worked in? What professional accomplishments are you most proud of?
    A. I worked in the restaurant business with the Beatles in London (designed and had a share in a nightclub with George Harrison and designed a glass geodesic dome for Paul McCartney), landscape business for my father’s nursery in South Africa, real estate investment and as an architect after graduating from the Architectural Association in London, and jewelry designing as a hobby.

    Q. What advice do you have for a young person selecting a career today? 
    A. Go into law and then do architecture if you really love it, as it is the poorest paid profession … or be a builder-developer.

    Q. How did you choose to make your home in Ocean Ridge?
    A. I traveled throughout U.S. after leaving England and I liked the climate and the people in South Florida. I would come to visit good friends in Palm Beach and eventually founded my architectural firm in Delray. I have lived in Ocean Ridge since 1973. I’m living in my second home in Ocean Ridge. I built and designed both of them.

    Q. What is your favorite part about living in Ocean Ridge? 
    A. The diversity of the people and the friendliness.

    Q. What book are you reading now?
    A. Just finished Hero of the Empire: The Boer War, a Daring Escape, and the Making of Winston Churchill. Now I’m reading about the gold mines in South Africa as my father was a geologist who worked for Central Mining in South Africa.

    Q. What music do you listen to when you need inspiration? When you want to relax? 
    A. Most any kind of music can inspire me. I usually listen late at night if I am unable to sleep.

    Q. Have you had mentors in your life? Individuals who have inspired your life decisions?
    A. A teacher at Hilton and my father.

    Q. If your life story were made into a movie, who would you want to play you?
    A. I have quite a story to tell and am working on a book about my life. Hopefully, it will be movie material. Don’t know who would play me. Maybe someone like Sean Connery, only younger. Jeff Bridges might be OK, but he’s American and would have to do the accent well.

   Q. Is there something most people don’t know about you, but should?
   A. Love memories, very sensitive, but have a tough shell.

If You Go
What: The United States Croquet Hall of Fame Gala
Theme: Red Hot-Havana Night
Member to be inducted into the Croquet Hall of Fame: Digby Bridges
Where: Charles P. Steuber National Croquet Center, 700 Florida Mango Road, West Palm Beach
When: Nov. 17. Cocktails at 5 p.m.; ceremony at 6; dinner, dancing and silent auction at 7.
Tickets: $235; proceeds help support the National Croquet Center and the many Croquet Foundation of America charitable programs.
For tickets or information: Call 478-2300, ext. 3

By Mary Thurwachter

    Local greenmarket aficionados won’t have to wait for the weekend to shop for homegrown veggies, fruits and flowers. Beginning in November, Lantana’s Bicentennial Park will be home to the newest greenmarket in the county.
    The Lantana Town Council gave two big green thumbs up to the plan, bringing the event to the park each Wednesday from 2 p.m. to sunset. The market will have about 20 booths.
    “People will come shop and stroll and then likely head over to the Old Key Lime House or another restaurant on Ocean Avenue for dinner,” said Jason Hershin, a representative of Whoduz Inc., the company putting on the event. He said the company didn’t want to have the event on weekends because there would be too much competition.
    The company agreed to the town’s rules: No driving or parking on the grass; no smoking on site; no stakes in the ground; loading and unloading on concrete only, parking restrictions and setup times.
    Whoduz agreed to pay a $500 security deposit, make arrangements for event logistics such as vendor and customer parking and lighting at the park.
    “Will you pick up any garbage before you leave?” asked council member Ed Shropshire.”
    “We will leave it as we found it,” Hershin agreed.
    “This market goes hand-in-hand with our small-town approach to family and it gets thumbs up from me,” said resident Lyn Tate.  “I think we have a population that would enjoy a mid-week market and early dinner. It sounds like the company will take the necessary precautions as to not disturb our park’s grass and they seemed to be ready to fix anything that may be disturbed holding the market at Bicentennial Park.”

By Jane Smith

    A primary entrance to Boynton Beach will be more inviting after Boynton Beach Boulevard undergoes a makeover.
    City commissioners, sitting as the Community Redevelopment Agency, selected a plan that includes 9-foot-wide sidewalks between the interstate and Seacrest Boulevard. East of Seacrest to Federal Highway, they want the sidewalks to be 12 feet wide.
    They also agreed at their October meeting to have a blue wave pattern in the sidewalks.
    Conscious of the cost, the board members want to wait until December when Kimley-Horn and Associates, the project designer, has about 60 percent of the drawings complete to select the material used for the blue pattern.
    Landscape architect Jonathan Haigh, of Kimley-Horn, gave these per-square-foot choices to the CRA board members: bonded aggregate overlay on the sidewalks will cost $8; blue pavers with coquina shells and mirror pieces will cost $12; blue glass aggregate concrete will cost $12; colored concrete with blue tones will cost $15; and blue glass aggregate pavers will cost $20.
    Mayor Steven Grant said the city might be able to pay for the portion west of Seacrest. “I’m hoping the Town Square developer would pay for Seacrest to Federal,” he said.
    The Town Square development is planned to create a 16.5-acre downtown-like area with a hotel, apartments, condos, townhouses and shops, just south of Boynton Beach Boulevard and between Seacrest Boulevard and Northeast First Avenue.
    As to the streetlights, four liked a traditional lamppost similar to the ones on Ocean Avenue. Vice Chairman Justin Katz favored the nautical-looking ones. “To fit in with our marina theme,” he said.
    CRA board member Christina Romelus said, “We want to make sure our main street looks inviting.”

By Jane Smith

    Boat owners will have to pay about 6 percent extra each month to rent a slip at the Boynton Harbor Marina.
    Boynton Beach city commissioners, sitting as the Community Redevelopment Agency, approved the increase 4-1 at their October meeting. The new monthly rent is $19 per linear foot, up from $18.
    Vice Chairman Justin Katz voted no. He wanted to wait a year and allow boat captains to plan for the rate increase. He said the boat owners had just suffered through construction at the marina and boardwalk upgrades.
    Board member Joe Casello, who mentioned the increase in September, pointed out that boat owners received a free month of rent during the construction period. “We just spent millions of dollars on amenities,” he said.
    Board member Christina Romelus proposed keeping the $19 rate for two years, which the CRA board members approved for the municipal marina.
    Just off Ocean Avenue on the Intracoastal Waterway, the marina offers such water activities as deep-sea fishing, scuba diving charters, watercraft and boat rentals, and sightseeing cruises.
    Splashdown Divers Capt. Lynn Simmons objects to the rental increase.
    “We had one of the worst years in terms of weather where we had to cancel charters,” she said. “I’m not pleased about the increase. When the CRA bought the marina [in 2006], they promised to keep the rental rates low.”
    The Sea Mist III owns its two slips. Miller Time and Ham’r Time fishing charters pay rent to Two Georges, according to Capt. Carl Miller.
    With the increase to $19 a linear foot, the Boynton marina remains below the $22 monthly rate charged by the Riviera Beach and Lake Park marinas. Boynton’s rate is higher than the $11.50 charged by Fort Pierce marina and just above the $17 rate at the Palm Beach Yacht Center.
    The CRA also agreed to have boat owners collect a quarterly log of customers, detailing monthly use by visitors and residents. Failure to comply would result in the loss of the fuel discount at the marina. The CRA offers a cash discount of 20 cents a gallon of gasoline and 30 cents for a gallon of diesel fuel. When using a credit card, the discount is 10 cents a gallon for gasoline and 20 cents a gallon for diesel fuel. That program saves the boat owners about $6,000 per year in fuel costs, according to the CRA.

    DELRAY BEACH — William “Bill” Lawrence Sherman, 95, an American patriot, died of natural causes at his home in Delray Beach on Oct. 19.
    Mr. Sherman is survived by his loving wife of 73 years, Adlyn Foster Sherman, their four children, Lynda Sherman-Strand of Carmel, Calif., William L. Sherman Jr. of Las Vegas, James M. Sherman of Boynton Beach and John P. Sherman of Rye, N.Y., seven grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren, and his only sister, Ellen Van Auken, who resides in Cleveland Heights, Ohio.
    Born July 28, 1922, in Utica, N.Y., son of Ernest Alexander and Margaret McMahon Sherman, Mr. Sherman was raised in New Hartford. He attended New Hartford High, where he met his future wife.
    Mr. Sherman was the first high school student to enlist in the Navy V-12 program, a forerunner of ROTC. On July 1, 1943, he was called to duty and attended the Naval War College in Newport, R.I., then went on to Mare Island in California.  
    In 1944 he married his high school sweetheart in San Francisco before serving aboard Amphibious Group Command ships USS Eldorado, USS Panamint and USS Mount McKinley.  He was appointed to the staff of Adm. Lawrence Reifsnider, commander of the Amphibious Group Four Command.
    Mr. Sherman was on the admiral’s staff on board the flagship USS Panamint for the entire battle of Okinawa. For a short time he was with the war correspondent Ernie Pyle, of whom he had fond memories.
    When World War II ended, Mr. Sherman and his wife moved back to New York, where he attended college at St. Lawrence University and graduated in 1947. He was a member of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity.
    Upon graduation, Mr. Sherman returned to Utica and entered the insurance business. He was very active in civic affairs, serving as president of the Utica Life Underwriters and chairman of the Utica Chapter American Red Cross. While serving as chairman, he was instrumental in establishing the Red Cross blood donation program.  
    The Shermans moved to Philadelphia in 1953, then to Baltimore for 38 years. Mr. Sherman was the senior economic development officer reporting directly to the governor of Maryland. He also served his community as president of the Oriole Advocates Inc. and secretary of Oriole Advocates Charitable Foundation.
    Mr. Sherman was a visionary and organizer for the preservation of the Babe Ruth birthplace next to Camden Yards in Baltimore, and lector for 20 years at St. Pius Church in the same city.  
    After his retirement in 1998, the Shermans moved to Delray Beach. There, he served as a life member of the VFW of Delray Beach and member of St. Vincent Ferrer Church.
    Mr. Sherman’s great-great-grandfather Amos Plumb Sherman served on the Massachusetts Line during the Revolutionary War when he was 19 years old. At 53, he reenlisted and served during the War of 1812. Great-grandfather Nathan P. Sherman was born to Amos Plumb and Patience Sherman in 1819 and served in the Civil War, fighting at Gettysburg on July 2-3, 1863, with the Vermont Volunteers Company E, 14th Regiment, and was wounded during Pickett’s Charge on July 3, 1863.
    A memorial service was held at St. Vincent Ferrer Church, Delray Beach. A reception with an Honor Guard followed at Barr Terrace in Delray Beach. Burial was in Utica.
    Memorial contributions may be made to Wounded Warriors and/or The American Legion.

— Obituary submitted by the family

By Willie Howard

    Nearly six weeks after Hurricane Irma roared through Florida, Lantana residents said in late October that they were still grappling with an unsightly reminder of the storm: piles of vegetation and construction debris stacked in their neighborhoods.
    Joanne Stanley, municipal services manager for Republic Services, said at the Oct. 23 Lantana Town Council meeting that the company had fallen behind in collecting large bulk items in Lantana — partly because trucks were filling up too fast and partly because there was no place to take construction debris, such as blown-over fences and roof shingles.
    Republic started hauling hurricane vegetation debris on Sept. 14, four days after Irma swept across Palm Beach County. But the town didn’t give the waste hauler the authority to haul away hurricane-related construction debris until Oct. 25.
    The delay was caused by the need for town officials to verify that the Federal Emergency Management Agency would reimburse the town for the hauling and disposal of what is known as “construction and demolition” debris.
    Following hurricanes, the Palm Beach County Solid Waste Authority typically opens debris sites where municipalities can dispose of storm-related construction and demolition debris.
    But this year, town officials said, the county approved the use of two private recycling facilities, Aquarius Recycling and Waste Management, for construction and demolition debris created by Hurricane Irma.
    Town officials chose Waste Management because it has facilities to handle the debris within the town. FEMA approved the town’s agreement with Waste Management on Oct. 26, ensuring reimbursement. Republic began hauling construction and demolition debris on Oct. 27.
    Regarding tree limbs and other types of vegetation, Stanley of Republic Services said it kept piling up in neighborhoods after the first wave of Lantana’s fallen vegetation was collected following Irma.
     “All I can say is we’re doing the best we can,” said Stanley, who jotted down concerns from residents at the Oct. 23 council meeting. “Vegetation is everywhere. It keeps appearing at the curb.”
    Mary Lacorazza of West Ocean Avenue told council members that a large pile of vegetation had been on her property since just after Irma hit on Sept. 10.
    Mayor David Stewart, who lives on Hypoluxo Island, said residents were calling him in October to complain about uncollected piles of vegetation.
    “I get the calls,” Stewart said. “I mean 10, 20, 30 calls about landscape debris. I need to know what to tell residents.”
    Because Irma swept across the entire state, Stanley said, Republic could not bring in trucks from other parts of Florida to help with South Florida’s debris overload.
    Councilman Lynn Moorhouse said residents could help by making sure leaves and other loose vegetation are properly bagged.
    Piles of tree limbs should be kept separate from bagged leaves, town officials said.
    Construction-type debris, such as fence parts, should be stacked in a third pile, not mixed with vegetation.

Hannah Kostizen and Jamie Vermeersch are employees at Periwinkle, 339 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach. Photo provided

By Christine Davis

    The Delray Beach Downtown Development Authority invites visitors and residents to “shop small” on Small Business Saturday, Nov. 25. Of the 350-plus downtown boutiques, salons, spas, galleries and restaurants, 93 percent are owned by small business owners. New retailers include The Lavender ­Your French Store, Delray Beach Gallery, Fly By Furnishings, Spice, Sunday State Style, Charleston Shoe Co., Brotzeit German Bakery & Café, Tommy Bahama and Whitewall Contemporary.
    These new retailers joined longtime local businesses Vince Canning Shoes, Avalon Gallery, Murder on the Beach Bookstore, Petite Connection, Hands, Delray Camera Shop, Huber’s Pharmacy, Richwagen’s Delray Bike & Sport and more.
    Participating businesses will distribute giveaways provided by American Express, and offer refreshments and special in-store promotions. Visit www.ShopSmall.com for a list of participating merchants and additional offers.
                                
    Also, the Delray Beach Marketing Cooperative announced the arrivals of some new businesses, noting that “this season, there will be a lot going on,” said Stephen Chrisanthus, the cooperative’s associate director. 
    For food or drinks, he named Avant, 25 NE Second Ave.; Batch Gastropub, 14813 Lyons Road; Capital One Café, for coffee while banking, at 330 E Atlantic Ave.; Lucille’s Bad to the Bone, 9173 Atlantic Ave., Suite 120; MIA Kitchen and Bar at 7901 W. Atlantic Ave.; Sardinia Enoteca, 3035 S. Federal Highway, No. 5; and Winemakers Table at 2875 S. Congress Ave.
    For culture, he suggested visiting The Heart of Delray Gallery, an evolution of Artists Alley, on 1440 N. Federal Highway, and Arts Warehouse in Pineapple Grove. Also, he noted, Cornell Museum has just undergone a $1 million renovation.
                                
    On Oct. 26, Delray Beach was one of three South Florida cities to host the first “Downtowns Go Pink” in support of Susan G. Komen South Florida and National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Pink lights, compliments of the Delray Beach Downtown Development Authority, adorned Atlantic Avenue and Pineapple Grove.
    This event kicked off registration for the Komen Race for the Cure, which will be Jan. 27 in West Palm Beach.  To register, go to www.Komensouthflorida.org.
    Komen also encourages a visit to the Spady Cultural Heritage Museum to see “Shades of Pink,” an exhibit by photographer Michiko Kurisu featuring the personal journeys of nine local African-American women who are breast cancer survivors. The exhibit runs through Nov. 11. The Spady Museum is at 170 NW Fifth Ave., Delray Beach.
                                
    The Delray Beach Downtown Development Authority has two new board members who were appointed by the City Commission. They are Mavis Benson and John Conde. Benson, who also will serve as secretary, owns Avalon Gallery and is the chairperson of the Downtown Merchant & Business Association. Conde, owner of the Conde Center for Chiropractic Neurology, is a board-certified chiropractic neurologist, as well as a Chairman’s Club member of the Delray Beach Chamber of Commerce.
                                
    The Delray Beach Marketing Cooperative and Greater Delray Beach Chamber of Commerce won gold medals from the International Festivals & Events Association during its annual Pinnacle Awards presentation in September in Tucson. The Marketing Cooperative won for the Best Newspaper Insert for its annual Christmas Tree. The chamber won for its Seek in the City Scavenger Hunt promotional video. The association also recognized the South Florida Garlic Fest, which is produced by Festival Management Group, with a gold award for its radio ad and a bronze award for its e-blast newsletter.
                                
    The city of Boynton Beach received 10 awards for its marketing and programming initiatives. They included a second-place Silver Circle Savvy Award from the City-County Communications & Marketing Association for the city’s annual report and calendar. The city also won six SUNsational Awards from the Florida Festivals and Events Association for its Yappy Happy Hour, K-9 Competition, and Recreation & Parks events.
    From its submissions to the Public Relations Society of America’s Palm Beach Chapter Palm Awards, the city received a first-place Excellence Award in the products category and a second-place Quality Award for its Yappy Happy Hour program.
                                
    The Greater Delray Beach Chamber of Commerce honored three award recipients at its Luminary celebration in October at the Delray Beach Marriott. The Lifetime Achievement Award went to Frances Bourque, founder of the Old School Square Center for the Arts. Its Business of the Year award went to the Conde Center for Chiropractic Neurology, which was founded in 2006 by Dr. John Conde. Its Business Person of the Year award went to Pedro Andrade, general manager of Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza Delray.
                                
    In October, the Realtors of the Palm Beaches and Greater Fort Lauderdale donated items, along with $10,000, to benefit the Florida Realtors Disaster Fund for Hurricane Irma relief efforts in the Keys.
    “We are very pleased to do what we can to help our Realtor community and many of those affected by the devastation left in the wake of Hurricane Irma,” said Dionna Hall, CEO of the organization.
                                
    Kaufman Lynn Construction, which has its corporate office in Boca Raton, held its annual back-to-school backpack drive, which benefited nearly 850 children at Florence Fuller Child Development Centers. Philanthropy and community involvement are important parts of the company’s culture, and this year marks 20 years of the company’s support to nonprofit organizations.
                                
    Marc Julien Homes’ annual food drive is underway, through Project Thanksgiving, a campaign hosted by the United Way of Palm Beach County, CBS12 News and the Palm Beach County Food Bank. To drop off canned fruit and vegetables, boxes of stuffing and macaroni and cheese, or bags of potatoes and onions, go to Marc Julien Homes’ office, 755 NW 17th Ave., Suite 107, Delray Beach, or call 954-200-7758 to arrange for a donation pickup.

Art in Public Places

‘Cavalcade’, a sculpture by Albert Paley, is installed in front of 500 Ocean, a residential and retail complex under construction along Federal Highway in Boynton Beach. Paley is an American modernist metal sculptor. The work was created specifically for the city. It is one of six Paley sculptures included in a yearlong exhibition. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

                               
    Douglas Elliman Real Estate’s reports for the third quarter note that in Boca Raton over the year, luxury condo median-sales prices moved higher, 12.5 percent to $800,000, as inventory declined 9.6 percent. Luxury single-family prices declined 11 percent to $1.55 million, while inventory expanded 7.1 percent.         Among luxury properties in Delray Beach, condo median-sales prices lost 4.5 percent to $590,000, while single-family median sales prices rose 15.6 percent to $1.535 million. The market east of Federal Highway showed a shift in the mix to smaller but more sales.
    Third-quarter declines in closings in Boca Raton and Delray Beach were a result of the disruption in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma.
                                
    New Jersey-based National Realty Investment Advisors bought two waterfront parcels in Gulf Stream for $13 million,    according to property records and news reports.
    The parcels are a 1-acre lot at 2929 N. Ocean Blvd., for $6.5 million, and a 0.77-acre lot at 3565 N. Ocean Blvd., for $6.5 million. Records also show that the company received an $11 million loan from Gamma Real Estate, a New York City commercial real estate firm.
    Corcoran Group agent Candace Friis represented both sides of the deals.
    In 2013, sellers bought the property at 2929 N. Ocean Blvd. for $5.8 million, and the property at 3565 N. Ocean Blvd. for $4.5 million. The property at 2929 N. Ocean Blvd. was listed for $12 million this August. The property at 3565 N. Ocean Blvd. was listed for $10.75 million in November 2015.
                                
    The League of Women Voters of Palm Beach County will host a luncheon with special guest Suzanne Cabrera, the president/CEO of the Housing Leadership Council of Palm Beach County, who will speak on the topic of the county’s workforce housing. The event will take place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Nov. 15 at the Atlantis Country Club, 190 Atlantis Blvd.
    Cabrera previously served as executive director of The Lord’s Place. An experienced grant writer and administrator, she has written grants resulting in more than $50 million in successful awards.
    Tickets are $25 per person until Nov. 8, and $35 after. RSVP at www.lwvpbc.org or by calling 968-4123.
                                
    The Palm Beach Poetry Festival launched its annual Palm Beach County High School Poetry Contest, in partnership with Old School Square in Delray Beach.         Through Dec. 1, Palm Beach County high school students can submit original poems for consideration.
    The winner will receive $200, and four runner-up high school poets will each receive $100. They also will receive tickets to the Poetry Festival’s Sizzling Spoken Word event in January, and they will read their poems at the festival’s award ceremony in January.
    For contest rules and more information, visit www.palmbeachpoetryfestival.org.
                                
    In response to a challenge from Gov. Rick Scott to provide bachelor’s degrees in high-demand fields, Palm Beach State College’s new incentive program will ease eligibility requirements for earning one of the college’s bachelor’s degrees.
    Effective Jan. 5, Florida students can opt into the $10,000 incentive program without needing to apply or fill out forms provided they: maintain Florida residency, complete associate’s in either arts or sciences at the college, maintain overall 2.5 grade-point averages, complete both associate’s and bachelor’s degrees within six years of enrolling at the college, and complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid each year.
    For more information, visit www.palmbeachstate.edu/Programs/Bachelor/10k-degree.aspx.
                                
    Representing the first endowed professorship in Florida Atlantic University’s School of Accounting, accounting and advisory firm Daszkal Bolton will reward faculty teaching and research excellence at the university’s College of Business by establishing a fund with a gift of $50,000.
The fund supports one faculty member each year, who can use $5,000 to support his or her work. Daszkal Bolton has an office in Boca Raton.
    
    Send business news to Christine Davis at cdavis9797@gmail.com.

By Jane Smith
    
    Settling to save taxpayers’ money, state Rep. Al Jacquet agreed to pay $300 in fines and receive a letter of reprimand over a $35 parking ticket he received while serving as vice mayor of Delray Beach.
    His attorney, J.C. Planas, represented Jacquet at the Oct. 12 meeting of the Palm Beach County Commission on Ethics.
    “It was the honorable thing to do,” Planas said about Jacquet’s settlement. “He admitted to the violations and wanted to save the taxpayers time and money of a public hearing.”
    Jacquet could not be reached for comment.
    At the ethics commission meeting, Planas argued for the word “unintentional” before the violation, saying the commission likely would get more settlements if elected officials could agree to accept letters of reprimand and pay fines for ethics code violations.
    Three ethics commissioners agreed. But the vice chair, Clevis Headley, did not.
Headley said elected officials receive ethics training and sign a form saying they know the rules.  
    The four commissioners unanimously agreed to accept the settlement.
    The ethics case against Jacquet, who represents parts of Boynton Beach and Delray Beach, stems from a parking ticket he received in April 2016.
    Jacquet initially claimed he forgot to put his city-issued parking pass on the car’s dashboard when he was on commission business and was able to have the ticket voided. An internal Police Department review later revealed that city commissioners don’t receive parking passes.
    Jacquet had broached the parking-pass subject at least twice while he served on the Delray Beach City Commission.
    At a January 2014 workshop, Jacquet floated the idea of a parking pass for commissioners.
    “Wouldn’t that be unethical?” said then-Commissioner Adam Frankel.
    Mayor Cary Glickstein said at the workshop he didn’t support the idea.
    “The Police Department doesn’t support it,” he said. “From the parking management perspective of what we are trying to do, the optics don’t look good.”

For a family-style Thanksgiving dinner, Ellie’s 50’s Diner offers the whole-turkey meal with all the fixings to make the holiday food prep and cooking more manageable. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

Avoid the kitchen fuss,

but still enjoy Thanksgiving dinner

in your own home

By Mary Thurwachter

    Some of us aren’t afraid to admit we’re impatient cooks — not fond of long hours in the kitchen peeling spuds, basting turkeys, baking pies and doing dishes.
    When it comes to Thanksgiving dinner, our recipe for success involves making a phone call and placing an order for turkey and all the sides from somebody who excels in the culinary skills we lack.
    We love turkey takeout, and frankly, so do our guests. Sure, those mostly unflappable folks working the Butterball hotline will miss our calls.
    They chortled mercilessly when I called to complain that my turkey had no breast! (They suggested I had cooked the bird upside down!)
    Oh, well. Not to worry. There are several restaurants and stores ready to take my order and yours for the Nov. 23 holiday. But don’t wait too long. The sooner the better. And if you’re going to fake it, be sure to trash the takeout containers before your guests arrive.

Ellie’s 50’s Diner
    Bob and Ellie Smela have been selling turkey dinner for years, and this year will be no exception.
    The restaurant is open, too, but the turkey takeout business has grown every year, Bob Smela says. The meal, which serves 12-14, includes a slow-roasted turkey, country-style cornbread stuffing, Ellie’s famous mashed potatoes, homemade gravy, green bean casserole, cranberry and mandarin orange relish, bakery rolls and butter and homemade pies — pumpkin and apple.
    Cost: $190. Orders must be prepaid and need to be made no later than seven days in advance. Pickup is 9 a.m.-noon Thanksgiving Day.
    2410 N. Federal Highway, Delray Beach, 276-7716

Café Frankie’s
    Turkey takeout is an eight-year tradition at Café Frankie’s, says owner Anthony Calicchio. Dinners are cooked the night before and morning of Thanksgiving.
    The menu includes free-range turkey (Italian-style stuffing with 40 ingredients is from Calicchio’s mother), gravy, mixed green salad with roasted pepper dressing, tomato and red onion salad, garlic mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes with raspberries and pistachios, string beans with fennel and lemon, broccoli rabe with garlic and oil, three types of homemade bread sticks with roasted garlic, chickpea spread and pumpkin nutmeg butter, and mixed berry cobbler and pumpkin pie for dessert.
    Cost: $200 for 6-10 servings, $270 for 12-15. Cash only. 50 percent deposit required. Orders must be made no later than five days in advance. Additional items are available and, for $25, Calicchio will carve your turkey for you. Pickup is 12:30-2 p.m. Thanksgiving Day.
    640 E. Ocean Ave., Boynton Beach, 732-3834

Henry’s
    Thanksgiving dinner to go includes choice of baby spinach salad, butternut squash bisque, Henry’s salad or split-pea soup, slow-roasted turkey with green beans, glazed carrots, mashed sweet potatoes or mashed red bliss potatoes, herb stuffing, sage gravy, cranberry relish and choice of apple, pumpkin or pecan pie.
    Cost: $160 for 4-6 servings, $275 for 10-12. Orders must be placed by Nov. 20. Pickup 2-5 p.m. Nov. 22 or 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Thanksgiving Day.
    16850 Jog Road, Delray Beach, 826-1791

Pig-Sty BBQ
    This popular honky-tonk barbecue joint offers family-style Thanksgiving takeout prepared by pit master Bryan Tyrell. Whole smoked turkeys range from $54.95 for a 10- to 12-pound bird, $92.75 for 18-20 pounds and $122.95 for 24-26 pounds.
    Pig-Sty BBQ has a variety of Thanksgiving packages, including full meal options, or you can buy items separately. Besides turkey, proteins include glazed ham, brisket, sausage and pulled pork. An array of sides, as well as house-made pies, cobblers and homemade ice cream, are available.
    For prices, see www.pigstybbq.com. Orders must be placed 48 hours prior to pickup, which will be available until 6 p.m. Nov. 22.  The restaurant is closed Thanksgiving Day.
    706 W. Boynton Beach Blvd., 810-5801

Meating Place offers Thanksgiving dinners, including cranberry sauce and desserts. Photo provided

Meating Place of Boca Raton
    Jack Baitz, manager of the 50-year-old butcher shop, says takeout dinners include freshly cooked turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing, gravy and a choice of pumpkin, apple, pecan or peach pie. Extra side dishes or turkey breasts are available for added price.
    Cost: $129 for 6-8 servings, $179.95 for 10-12 and $219.95 for 12-14. Orders should be placed ASAP because the number of turkeys is limited. Pickup is 8-11 a.m. Thanksgiving Day.
    277 E. Palmetto Park Road, Boca Raton, 368-1191

Joseph’s Classic Market
    Family dinner includes turkey, appetizers, stuffing, sweet potatoes or regular potatoes, roasted vegetables, green beans and apple and pumpkin pies. Cost: $149 for 10-12 servings. Orders should be placed by Nov. 17 and picked up by noon on Thanksgiving.
    5250 Town Center Circle, Boca Raton, 347-2314

Whole Foods Market
    Holiday meals at Whole Foods come in a variety of sizes — from meals for four all the way up to feasts for 12. Organic and conventional selections are available, as are a vegan meal option, a meal with turkey breast meat and non-turkey options. Turkeys are animal welfare rated through the Global Animal Partnership and raised without antibiotics or added hormones. A turkey feast for 12 includes turkey, spiral cut ham, mashed potatoes, traditional herb stuffing, gravy, cranberry orange sauce, green beans with garlic and parsley, roasted butternut squash, creamed spinach and kale, pumpkin and apple pies. Cost: $249.99. Customers can order in any of three ways: in store, at shop.wfm.com; or by calling 844-936-2428. When you order, you set up a pickup date for the week of Thanksgiving, including Thanksgiving Day.
    1400 Glades Road, No. 110, Boca Raton, 447-0000; for other locations, see www.wfm.com

Publix
    Fully cooked turkeys come with dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy, marshmallow delight dessert and cranberry relish. Cost: $44.99 for 7-10 people and $84.99 for 14-18. Orders should be placed at least a week in advance and picked up the day before Thanksgiving.
    Various locations. www.publix.com

Boston Market
    Thanksgiving dinner for 12 includes a roasted turkey, spinach artichoke dip and crackers, mashed potatoes, gravy, vegetable stuffing, cranberry walnut dressing, dinner rolls and two pies — pumpkin and apple. Cost: $119.99. A basic turkey dinner for 12 with no appetizers, relish or pies is $99.99.
    Place orders a week ahead of time. Pick up the day before or on Thanksgiving.
    799 N. Federal Highway, Boca Raton, 391-9262. For other locations, see www.bostonmarket.com

    * All turkey providers will give reheating instructions.

By Christine Davis

    Pooja Patel, M.D.,  is now part of Boca Raton Regional Hospital’s Marcus Neuroscience Institute and BocaCare physician network and will be director of the institute’s epilepsy monitoring unit. 
    She is a board-certified general neurologist who is fellowship-trained in clinical neurophysiology. Patel’s clinical specialties include epilepsy and headaches.

                                
FAU High’s Devin Willis, 14, made a machine that he says can improve cancer diagnoses. Photo provided

    While he did not take the top prize, Florida Atlantic University High School freshman Devin Willis, 14, did compete as a finalist in the Discovery 3M Young Scientist Challenge in October.
    He developed a “Slidemap” machine that improves the speed and accuracy of a cancer diagnosis. Using a 20X microscope, the machine captures several images of a tumor at the cellular level, then uses an algorithm to stitch the images together. The final image is passed through a neural network to analyze the tumor and determine whether it’s benign or cancerous.
    “I recently read that when pathologists were given the same tissue sample, they agreed on a diagnosis only 75 percent of the time,” Devin said. “I hope this machine can create more consistency among diagnoses.”
    He got the idea for “Slidemap” from his dad, Scooter Willis, who works in data analytics for cancer research.
 “My dad knew I loved robotics and computer programming and thought this would be a great project for me,” Devin Willis said.
    He’s been building and developing “Slidemap” since he was in sixth grade. Last year, he made a two-minute video about his invention and submitted it to the Discovery 3M Young Scientist Challenge. He was chosen as a finalist in June.
                                 
   Florida Atlantic University’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine unveiled its newly expanded 8,000-square-foot Clinical Skills Simulation Center in October.  At its ribbon-cutting ceremony, nurses participated in exercises using human-like mannequins that simulate medical emergencies, and first-year medical students practiced their skills while working with actors posing as patients. Jeff Atwater, vice president for strategic initiatives and CFO; Dean Phillip M. Boiselle, M.D.; Senior Associate Dean Sarah K. Wood, M.D.; and community leaders were in attendance.

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

ABOVE: Each customer steps inside, closes the lid and relaxes in a flotation pod. Soaking is said to help with pain relief and enhance creativity.

LEFT: Matt and Destiny Beck of Delray Beach opened Float8 Wellness Lounge in Deerfield Beach in August.
Photos provided

By Lona O'Connor

    For you, dear readers, I soaked myself in a closed egg-shaped pod, in water slick from 1,000 pounds of Epsom salts, in my birthday suit, in total darkness.
    This experiment took place at the Float8 Wellness Lounge in Deerfield Beach.
    Float8’s motto is, “No gravity. No light. No sound. Pure nothing.”
    My motto is, “In space, no one can hear you scream. Get me out of here.”
    Float8 opened in August, the brainchild of co-owners Destiny and Matt Beck. The couple, who live in Delray Beach, became enamored of flotation pods after visiting one near their home in the Pineapple Grove neighborhood. That place closed and the only thing to do was open a flotation lounge of their own.
    The potential benefits of flotation range from pain relief to enhanced creativity.
    Flotation used to be known as sensory deprivation and may be remembered as one of the many experimental therapies of the 1960s. Flotation has been used for a number of conditions, including high blood pressure, insomnia, migraines, fibromyalgia, chronic pain, PTSD, addiction and ADHD. And, of course, stress reduction.
    “More people are looking for a way to unplug from our sensory overloaded society,” Destiny Beck said.
    Me, I don’t want to be more than an arm’s length away from my phone and all the lovely sensory overload it provides. In the Galapagos Islands, in the monasteries of Nepal and sacred temples of India, I was always the one searching the eternal ether for a Wi-Fi signal.
    Float8 has four private float rooms, a meditation studio and a lounge for decompressing before, and reorienting yourself after, the 90-minute float. You can come on your own, as several people did while I was there, or bring friends or co-workers for a bonding experience. In either case, each person floats alone in a pod. Make no mistake: This is not a hot tub club.
    The walls are covered with calm-inducing photo murals and original art. On the coffee table is a book called Artwork From the Void. One of the many spiritually themed books in the Float8 library, it includes floaters’ renditions of scenes they visualized during flotation.
    Inside the pod is about 10 inches of water heated to 93 degrees, the temperature of the skin’s surface, and supersaturated with 1,000 pounds of Epsom salt. Germ phobics, note that the salt discourages the growth of any unwanted life forms. In addition, the water is thoroughly filtered. Once settled into the pod, with no light, sound or gravity to distract, you can enter a meditative state, even sleep. If you’re relaxed enough, it’s possible to experience Theta waves, which occur during meditation or lucid dreaming and provide a state of conscious sleep.

Back pain alleviated
    David Abellard Jr. began floating in 2011. He had been in a serious car crash the year before and suffered excruciating back pain and spasms.
    “I wanted to avoid opiates because they act on your brain, and I need to be alert at all times for my work,” said Abellard, now 40, who lives in Oakland Park, a 15-minute drive to Float8. He’s a consultant to attorneys and real estate investors with a full plate of work and family responsibilities.         “I went in there with back pain at 8½ teetering on 9 out of 10 on the scale and within three seconds the pain completely disappeared. That’s why I’m such an advocate.”
    Now a regular at Float8, he can expect at least three to four hours with no pain after a flotation session. “When I go every week or every two weeks, that extends to six to seven hours. The beneficial effects are compounded,” he says.
    “At the end of the week, or even the middle of the week, I’m exhausted,” said Abellard. “Getting in the tank replenishes me. If you float long enough, it gets you as close to being superhuman with the abilities you’re given.”
    Abellard was working for a pharmaceutical sales company when he started floating for back pain relief.
    “Then, three months in, I’m starting to shatter sales records, and then I’m innovating better ways to sell.
    “You feel like you’re balanced in life. You feel fulfilled. Everything is at the right level. It allows you to be creative. Your brain seems to be focused on solving problems.
    “If I had a company, I would push floating for my employees, free floats for everybody,” he said.
    Abellard, who gets up at 5 a.m. and sometimes pulls all-nighters for work, hopes the Becks will take his suggestion to have midnight floats, possibly in sync with phases of the moon, to enhance the floats’ effects.
 
Fidgety to fidget-free
    “Do I need a swimsuit?” I emailed Destiny Beck.
    “Nope. Birthday suit!” she responded.
    That news caused a tiny jolt of surprise, but it was the 90 minutes part that bothered me most — what the heck will I do? — followed closely by the closed pod and the complete darkness. And having to turn off my cell phone.
    I had once experienced sensations of a living burial during just three minutes in an MRI tube, despite being hammered by a hefty dose of Valium.
    I showered and inserted silicone earplugs. A soft blue light illuminated the pod and, since I had 90 long minutes to kill, I experimented with positioning myself around the pod, turning the light off — keeping a death grip on the blue-light button. Finally, and only because I felt a little chilly, I closed the pod door.
    It was comforting to know that a big, strong professional mixed martial arts fighter had the same worries.
    “My first float session, I did deal with a little bit of paranoia from floating in the dark,” said James Blair, 30, of Boca Raton. “I had trouble slipping away or falling asleep. But now I really enjoy it. My muscles heal quicker and I come out in a really relaxed, euphoric state of mind.”
    The Becks had been planning to direct their marketing to mixed martial arts fighters and other athletes when Blair walked through their door. He had been practicing yoga at a studio nearby. They liked each other right away and Float8 became one of Blair’s sponsors for his fight scheduled for Nov. 3 in Maine.
    “You’ll need about 15 or 20 minutes to get settled,” Destiny Beck advised me.
    I can’t tell you how long it took for all my fidgeting and rearranging, but after there was no other fidgeting to do, I turned off the blue light and surrendered to the dark, salty warmth. I swear to you that it seemed like no more than 60 seconds later when the blue light switched on again, signaling the end of my session. As soon as I had showered off the salty water, I turned my phone back on. Sure enough, 90 minutes had passed. Dang.
    “Once you get comfortable, you don’t know where your body ends and where the water begins,” Destiny Beck said. “Even in a bed, you’re still fighting gravity. In the tank you can get completely comfortable, you can get quality rest.”
    As it happened, I had entered Float8 with a passel of decisions that had to be made within days. I felt scattered and pressured.
    Beck told me to notice changes in mental acuity within a day or so of my float. Sure enough, after a very good night’s sleep, I took a morning bike ride, came home clear and happy, and made all my decisions rapidly and surely. Not bad for one float.
    Whatever you bring to the float — physical, mental, spiritual — will influence what you take out of the tank, said Abellard.
    “I tell people not to have any expectations. Everyone gets different effects. Just go with the flow.”

    Float8 Wellness Lounge, 616 SE 10th St., Deerfield Beach, 754-666-3588. The cost of a single 90-minute float is $80. A package of three is $120. Float8 offers discounts for veterans, teachers, first responders and lifeguards. Veterans can float for free on Nov. 11, Veterans Day.
    For more info and special events, visit www.float8ion.com.

    Lona O’Connor has a lifelong interest in health and healthy living. Send column ideas to Lona13@bellsouth.net.

Andrea Rutherfoord, officer in charge of public education for Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 36 in Boca Raton, has taught basic boating classes for 25 years. Willie Howard/The Coastal Star

By Willie Howard

    Maybe you’ve been boating for years on the Atlantic and inshore waterways of South Florida.
    Even though experience is helpful, it doesn’t mean you have the education you need to be a competent boater.
    Florida law requires only those boaters born on or after Jan. 1, 1988, to take a class and hold a state boating safety ID card to operate a powerboat with 10 or more horsepower. But statistics show older boaters cause plenty of trouble on the water.
    According to the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, the boat operators most likely to be involved in accidents are middle-aged (or older) men who have boating experience but have never taken a boating safety course.
    The good news: Older boaters are taking basic boating courses and receiving their boating safety ID cards, even though they’re not required to do so.
    About a third of the 47,307 boating safety education ID cards issued by the state last year were to boaters born before 1988.
    “Regardless of whether you’re new to boating or an old salt, it’s a good experience,” said Brian Rehwinkel, the FWC’s boating safety outreach and education coordinator.
    A side benefit: Many boat insurance carriers offer discounts to boaters who have taken an approved class and received a boating safety ID card.
    Volunteers with the Coast Guard Auxiliary’s Flotilla 36 in Boca Raton and Flotilla 54 in Boynton Beach offer the basic About Boating Safely Class monthly, meaning boaters who want to earn their Florida boating safety ID cards and improve their boating skills can do so in a one-day class offered on Saturdays.
    During the Oct. 7 class at Spanish River Park in Boca Raton, instructors with Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 36 added helpful tips to the basic course material and spiced up the instruction with humorous tales from the water.
    Instructor Rob Lambie of Delray Beach, a veteran Florida boater who sails his boat to the Bahamas, told of the men who come to boat ramps on busy weekends just for entertainment. They watch how boat owners handle the backing, launching and loading of their boats. If you’re not prepared, you could be their entertainment.
    Lambie’s trailering tips included driving the route to the boat ramp without a boat in tow just to check for low-hanging trees and tight turns that could pose problems and to watch how seasoned boaters launch and retrieve their boats.
    In addition to trailering, the one-day class touches on a wide variety of boating topics, including terminology, collision avoidance, VHF radio operation, tides, channel markers, anchoring, how to handle emergencies and safety gear. Students take home the About Boating Safely booklet to keep for future reference.
    Flotilla 36 Cmdr. Mario Stagliano said about 150 students have taken the basic boating class at Spanish River Park this year.
    About a third of the Boca Raton students are teens who must earn boating safety ID cards to operate a powerboat, Stagliano said. The rest are the parents of teens taking the course, along with older boaters who want to refresh their boating knowledge.
    The need for boating education is clear, with 714 reportable boating accidents in Florida last year resulting in 67 deaths, 421 injuries and more than $10 million in property damage.
    The two leading causes of Florida boating accidents last year, according to the FWC: inattention or failure to maintain a proper lookout, followed by lack of experience by the boat operator.
    More than half the boat operators involved in Florida boating accidents last year — 60 percent — had no formal boating education.

Coast Guard Auxiliary helps Hurricane Maria survivors housed in Weston

Mario Stagliano, left, and Jim Goldasich of the Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 36 in Boca Raton helped the family members of active Coast Guard personnel stationed in Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria. The families were flown to South Florida and stayed at the Bonaventure Resort & Spa in Weston. Photo provided

    Members of the Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 36, based in Boca Raton, spent weeks helping the families of Coast Guard personnel stationed in Puerto Rico following the devastation brought by Hurricane Maria.
    About 350 Coast Guard family members, including several mothers with small children, were flown to South Florida on military aircraft following the late September hurricane and housed at the Bonaventure Resort & Spa in Weston.
    Flotilla Cmdr. Mario Stagliano and three other members of the flotilla — Jim Goldasich, Stephen Rogers and Ardalan Montazer — drove vans carrying the displaced family members around Weston, helping them shop for clothing, cellphones and other supplies.
    Stagliano said members of the Boca Raton flotilla also contributed supplies to a free store established for the displaced families at the Weston hotel and chipped in $650 to buy Walmart gift cards that were given to the families.

Delray Beach Surf Festival
    The fifth annual Delray Beach Surf Festival is scheduled for Dec. 2, on the beach east of Nassau Street.
    Set for 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., the festival will feature surfing and tug-of-war contests, stand-up paddleboard races and other fun competitive activities, organizer Sven Mautner said.
    “It’s a great, local family event, and we’ve been really lucky to have had decent surf for all prior contests,” said Delray Beach Mayor Cary Glickstein, a lifelong surfer who judges the contest. 
    Registration costs $25. Delray Beach Ocean Rescue will use proceeds from the festival for its children’s programs.
    Photos and video clips from previous festivals can be found by searching Facebook for the Delray Beach Surf Festival.

Fort Lauderdale boat show
    The Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show continues through Nov. 5 at seven waterfront locations, including Bahia Mar Yachting Center, the Broward County Convention Center and Pier 66 Marina.
    The 58th annual show features nearly 1,500 boats on display along with electronics, fishing gear, nautical art and clothing. Fishing seminars for adults and youths as well as on-the-water boat handling workshops are offered.
    Hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., except on Nov. 5, when the show closes at 6 p.m.
    Tickets cost $29 for adults, $12 for ages 6-12. Children younger than 6 are free.
For more information, call 800-940-7642 or go to www.flibs.com.

Coming events
    Nov. 4: Basic boating safety class offered by Coast Guard Auxiliary, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the headquarters building at Spanish River Park, 3939 N. Ocean Blvd., Boca Raton. Fee is $35 for adults or $20 ages 12 to 19. Register at the door. Bring lunch. Call 391-3600 or email fso-pe@cgauxboca.org.
    Nov. 25: Boating safety class offered by Coast Guard Auxiliary, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the classroom next to the boat ramps, Harvey E. Oyer Jr. Park, 2010 N. Federal Highway, Boynton Beach. Fee is $25. Register at the door. Call 704-7440.

Tip of the month
    Not sure whether your boat has the required safety gear? Schedule a free vessel examination with the Coast Guard Auxiliary — either Flotilla 36 in Boca Raton or Flotilla 54 in Boynton Beach. In most cases, vessel examiners will meet you at your boat to check distress signals, fire extinguishers, life jackets, running lights and other safety equipment. Examiners often find small deficiencies that owners overlook.
    To reach Flotilla 36 in Boca Raton, call 391-3600. To reach Flotilla 54 in Boynton Beach, call 331-2429. Leave a message if necessary.  

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

Patrick Gramm of Gulf Stream tees off on the ninth hole of The Little Club on Oct. 20. A few trees like the one in the foreground did not survive Irma’s winds, but the rest of the course looked to be in prime playing condition.  Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

By Brian Biggane

    Officials cited toppled trees and mangled vegetation as the main obstacles they needed to overcome in getting Palm Beach County golf courses back up and running in the wake of Hurricane Irma.
    But while all of the dozen or so courses surveyed reported extensive damage, hardworking maintenance crews had most of them open within a week of the storm’s passing.
    Sam Metott, who oversaw the cleanup at the Delray Beach Golf Club as assistant parks and recreation director for the city, said there was even a silver lining in the destruction.
    “The greens and fairways on our course and most courses were largely untouched, so the fact they were closed for that time reduced the foot traffic to zero,” Metott said. “They were provided a little rest and we were able to hit them with pesticides and fertilizer, and our members are telling us they’re in great shape.”
    A closer look at how some of the local courses fared:

The Little Club
    Superintendent George Ralish estimated the private course lost “probably about 30 or 40” trees, mostly green buttonwoods, the majority of which were away from the prime playing areas. The club was closed for two days before the storm and six days after.
    “We didn’t have power for eight days after the storm, and we’ve only had eight people doing the cleanup, so we’ve still got some stumps and trees with broken limbs,” Ralish said. “Some of our sump pumps went down as well, so we had four holes where we had standing water for several days.”
    A tree company had been contracted to assist with the cleanup, and The Little Club is another that typically doesn’t get a lot of play until sometime in November.
    “The course looks really good now — better than ever,” head pro Wanda Krolikowski said. “Sometimes the land just needs a good combing, but you can’t tell people that.”

Gulf Stream Golf Club
    Manager Kevin Bauer estimated the sprawling private beachside property lost “roughly between 80 and 100 trees” but added that a lot of what was lost would not be noticeable when the course opened on schedule for the season on Oct. 20.
    “We really had no structural damage to the [clubhouse],” Bauer said. “It was all about the trees and debris and flooding, and we’re almost 100 percent recovered from that.”
    The most noticeable change after the storm was the disappearance of 10 towering palms that lined A1A in front of the clubhouse and were shredded by Irma’s winds. They have been replaced by six smaller Sylvester palms.
    “They were probably the most prominent trees we lost,” Bauer said. “A lot of [the trees] we lost were in areas that are not prominent.”
    Bauer credited superintendent Ryan Swilley and his crew for their cleanup efforts after he estimated the course lost about four weeks of normal maintenance to the storm.

Seagate Country Club
    Chairman Anthony Wilson said his course lost 24 trees and was closed for a week after the storm passed.
    “The bigger problem is it keeps raining,” he said. “The course drains well and comes back quickly, but all the rain has been hard to overcome.”
    Wilson noted that his golf course crew also maintains the community around the course, requiring him to hire outside contractors to assist with the cleanup.
    “It was a big job; guys were working from sunup to sundown,” he said. “We had a lot of sand on the cart paths — typical stuff that washes out and gets beat up.” He said the fact the club has so-called billy bunkers, which are designed to minimize sand erosion from heavy storms, was a big plus.

Red Reef Par-3
    Greg Jerolaman, manager for the city of Boca Raton’s three courses, said 10 trees were lost and another 11 had major limb damage at Red Reef, but the vegetation between the beach and the holes east of A1A prevented sand from being a major problem.
    “We had two banyan trees and a huge sea grape that were basically sheared in half,” Jerolaman said. “We spent nine days chain-sawing and cleaning up debris to get the course playable.”
 The course was closed 12 days, beginning when the city declared a storm emergency on Sept. 8. It reopened Sept. 20.
    Jerolaman said only two city employees are assigned full time to Red Reef, so the assistance supplied by a Parks Division crew for several days “really enabled us to reopen when we did. Our part-time staff were terrific, too. They weren’t required to assist but showed up in the searing heat and assisted with the cleanup as well. Quite heroic of them — as they are not spring chickens!”

Delray Beach Golf Club
    Metott, who also oversaw the cleanup at the par-3 Lakeview course as well as Southwinds in west Delray Beach, reopened the front nine at the city course, just west of Interstate 95 on Atlantic Avenue, on Sept. 29 and the back nine a week later.
    “We lost hundreds of trees, but the biggest issue was large broken limbs hanging down,” he said. “It was more a safety issue. A downed tree won’t hurt anybody, but those significant size limbs that could fall and injure people, we had to have contractors cut them down.”
    The club became a staging area as a generator was brought in right after the storm passed so all three meals could be prepared for city workers.
    Metott said golfers who got impatient at the pace of cleanup didn’t understand the dynamics at work.
    “The management companies hired by the city and FEMA to do cleanup of the golf courses are the same ones that have been clearing the streets and picking up debris, so they have priorities,” he said.

 St. Andrews
    General manager Robert Grassi suspects a tornado touched down near the clubhouse where three trees were lost and a water fountain was pulled out of the ground. Beyond that, the most significant damage was to a handful of banyan trees on the property.
    “We still have two that need to come down because they took a lot of stress,” he said.
    Grassi brought in an arborist who advised the club to replant younger trees that will have to grow their own root systems. But with planting season over, that will have to wait until spring. The private course is reopened but won’t get much play until most members return for the season.
    “We lost a lot of trees,” Grassi said. “It looks kind of barren out there.”
    Options include planting cabbage and eureka palms for protection and installing paspalum grass around the two lakes on the course.

Palm Beach Par-3
    Head pro Tony Chateauvert reported that the paspalum grass on his course was a key to its reopening Sept. 17, a week after the storm passed.
    “We had sand everywhere — the clubhouse was covered in it and it was a half-inch deep on the holes on the ocean,” Chateauvert said. “We spent two days power washing everything and the paspalum came back quickly.”
    The closing of State Road A1A north and south of the South Palm Beach facility made reaching the club impossible for a time, and business was slow through the first week but has picked up since.
    “We lost a couple trees but a lot of courses further west got impacted [more] than we did,” Chateauvert said.

‘Come to Bethlehem’ is an interactive town with people dressed as they were in Jesus’ time. Photo provided

By Janis Fontaine

    With Thanksgiving this month we realize Christmas is just around the corner. With that in mind, Cason United Methodist Church is making plans to present “Come to Bethlehem,” 7-9 p.m. Dec. 2-4 at the church, 342 N. Swinton Ave., Delray Beach.
    Visitors can walk through the streets of Bethlehem, which are being designed and decorated to look as they did at the birth of Jesus. Visitors can meet historical characters in authentic dress in the interactive town and marketplace and visit a  Nativity with live animals.
    A quiet area is available for personal prayer and reflection. The church sanctuary, with historic stained-glass windows and Christmas decorations, will be open to visitors.
    Afterward, folks can enjoy cookies and Christmas music. Admission is free, but donations are appreciated.
    For more information, call 276-5302.

Enjoy gardening?
    Cason United Methodist’s community garden is buzzing with activity and help is always needed. Church leaders say a community garden is a nonthreatening place for interaction among people of all ages and cultures, income levels and physical and mental abilities. Medical professionals say edible gardening is a healthy activity that rewards you again when you harvest heart-healthy organic produce for the dinner table.  
    There’s a small fee to become an organic farmer with your own plot, and all gardeners are asked to donate a portion of their bounty to the food pantry. Donations of labor, gardening tools, landscape supplies and mulch are always welcome. The season began in August and continues until April. No experience is needed to participate.
    Contact garden coordinator Candy Evans at 374-2434 or by email at onatripw3@gmail.com for more information.

Beer, conversation and God
    Pub Theology meets at 7 p.m. Nov. 7 (the first Tuesday of each month) at the Biergarten, 309 Via de Palmas, No. 90, Boca Raton, and 7 p.m. Nov. 16 (the third Thursday) at Barrel of Monks, 1141 S. Rogers Circle, No. 5, Boca Raton. Conversation, fellowship, open discussion. 395-1244; www.fumcbocaraton.org.

Annakut Darshan

Hundreds of members of the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Temple in Boynton Beach took part in the Hindu New Year’s celebration on Oct. 20. The Annakut festival occurs on the first lunar day of Shukla Paksha (bright fortnight) in the Hindu month of Kartik. The same day is the fourth day of Deepawali (Diwali), the Hindu festival of lights. Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

Jewish chef signs books
    James Beard Award recipient Joan Nathan will talk about her 11th book, King Solomon’s Table: A Culinary Exploration of Jewish Cooking From Around the World, Nov. 13 at the Miami Beach Jewish Community Center, 4221 Pine Tree Drive, Miami Beach.
    Nathan will offer petite tastings from the cookbook and sign books from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Tickets are $36, which includes a signed copy of the book. Get tickets at MBJCC.ticketleap.com/joan-nathan or call 305-534-3206, Ext. 232.

The Interfaith Café meets
    Join the theological discussion from 7 to 9 p.m. Nov. 16 at South County Civic Center, 16700 Jog Road, Delray Beach. Light refreshments are served.
    The meeting is free, but donations are appreciated. The Interfaith Café meets the third Thursday of the month, and volunteers are needed to assist with a variety of duties to keep this program going.
    For more information or to volunteer, email Jane@Aurorasvoice.org.

Parish’s annual fall festival
    St. Mark Catholic Church hosts its annual Fall Vendor and Craft Event from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 19 at St. Mark Place, 643 NE Fourth Ave., Boynton Beach. This free indoor event features one-of-a-kind gifts, many handmade, plus artisan foods including tea and jam, plus a pancake breakfast and food truck, and raffles.
    Vendors include Avon, Mary Kay, Pampered Chef, Origami Owl and more. For more info, call 734-9330 or visit www.stmarkboynton.com.

Duo Beaux Arts performs
    Music at St. Paul’s presents Duo Beaux Arts at 3 p.m. Nov. 19. Duo Beaux Arts features pianists Tao Lin and Catherine Lan, who will perform a program of Francis Poulenc’s Sonata for Piano Four Hands and Claude Debussy’s Petite Suite as well as solo piano works by Mozart, Scarlatti, Ginastera and Schubert.
    A pre-concert conversation with Tao Lin and church music director Dr. Paul Cienniwa begins at 2:30 p.m. Admission is $20, free for 18 and younger. St. Paul’s Episcopal Church is at 188 S. Swinton Ave., Delray Beach. Call 278-6003 or visit www.music.stpaulsdelray.org.

Connections service features Christian music
    Contemporary Christian music performed by the worship band is at the core of Trinity Lutheran’s “Connections” services. This modern worship experience is informal and is held a little bit later, at 11 a.m. Sundays.
    If music is your passion, consider arriving an hour early at 10 a.m. for elder Steve Cruz’s discussion of Christian music, including the latest hits on Christian radio.
    Trinity Lutheran is at 400 N. Swinton Ave., Delray Beach. Call 278-1737 for more information.

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

Rabbi Shmuel Biston leans heavily on his wife, Sarah, in his new role as the chabad’s co-director. Photo provided

By Janis Fontaine

    For Shmuel Biston, being a rabbi is the family business. His father, Yosef Biston, is a rabbi in Parkland. His brother is a rabbi and several of his four sisters are rebbetzins, married to rabbis and with important leadership roles.
    Today, at 28, the younger Biston is the co-director of Chabad of East Delray. He has his sights set on establishing a vibrant Jewish community on the coast where all Jews feel welcome.
Biston, who’s known as Shmuli, knew he’d be a rabbi and never questioned it.
    “I always liked praying and speaking and giving back to the community,” he said.  He completed his rabbinical studies by age 21, which is early for anyone to commit to a life path, especially one with such great responsibilities.
    He joined his father at Chabad of Parkland, the same synagogue where Shmuli had grown up. His parents moved to Miami in 1973 and promoted Jewish life in Aventura, Fort Lauderdale and Boca Raton before founding Chabad of Parkland in 1998.
    Chabad, Biston says, is a Hebrew acronym that stands for wisdom (chochma), understanding (binah) and knowledge (da’at). It’s nondenominational, a place where “you don’t have to be something you’re not,” he says.
    Biston understands the complexity of the Jewish family: “You have two Jews, you have three opinions,” he laughs. “But no matter how you look at it, we are all children of God.”
    Biston’s easy manner and friendly nature make him a welcome sight at times of great personal stress. He serves as the chaplain for the Delray Beach Police Department and is on call for emergencies at local hospitals.
    But it’s the focus of most places of worship to attract new members and retain existing ones.
    “I want to build a community from the ground up,” Biston said.
    In September, Chabad of East Delray held High Holy Days services for Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur at the Residence Inn by Marriott on Atlantic Avenue. You didn’t need to be a member and you didn’t need to buy a ticket, even though Chabad is self-funded.
    Biston’s altruism stretches to accommodate the needs of his community. From marriage counseling to lessons in Torah to programs for young professionals, Biston wants to be a full-service go-to source for all Jews.
    He understands that bringing people back to the fold is hard. “I worry they don’t realize what religion has to offer them because they had a bad experience,” he says.
    Biston doesn’t care if you never went to synagogue. Everyone is welcome, “with no judgment of any kind.” He said he learned to let go of judgment when he spent a year in Cape Town, South Africa. It’s counterproductive and narrow-minded, he says.
    In addition to his rabbinical studies, Biston said, “I was fortunate to get a lot of real-life experience.”
    It wasn’t all good. When he was 23, Biston was attacked by strangers because of his faith. It doesn’t compare with what his grandparents faced as Holocaust survivors, but he says it taught him to “hate injustice” but not to hate.
    As many rabbis do, Biston leans heavily on his wife of just over two years. He met Sarah through friends and traveled to Montreal to visit.
    By the fourth date, Biston was sure. “I liked everything about her. She’s funny and easygoing, and she can roll with the punches. We were on the same path,” Biston said.
    Sarah understood the responsibilities of being the wife of a rabbi, and she welcomed them. “I think it’s harder than being a rabbi,” Shmuli Biston said.
    He is driven by his faith, his insatiable curiosity and a deep need to understand the world.
    “I’m interested in not only action but understanding. Why are we doing what we’re doing? My life is about constantly learning and growing,” he said. “You do acts of goodness and kindness. You learn a little. You pray a little. That’s life.”
    For more information about Chabad of East Delray, visit www.jewisheastdelray.com. Biston can also be reached at 954-857-3543 and rabbi@jewisheastdelray.com.

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

Manalapan resident Suzi Goldsmith, executive director of Tri-County Animal Rescue, holds Peter, a 3-month-old Great Pyrenees that the shelter took in following the death of his owner, a Great Pyrenees breeder. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

By Arden Moore

    Living in South Florida comes with lots of perks (sandy beaches, awesome sunrises and no icy sidewalks) as well as perils — with hurricanes topping that list. Think of the time and energy you invested to try to fortify your home from Hurricane Irma’s relentless winds and rains. Now multiply that by, say, 40 times or more.
    And think of keeping a cool head all the while and putting the needs of other people and animals in front of your own as the hurricane zeros in on you and what you cherish the most.
    That’s exactly what Suzi Goldsmith, co-founder and executive director of the Tri-County Animal Rescue in west Boca Raton, did before, during and now after Irma teamed up with a tornado to pay this nonprofit complex a rude visit.
    “We are grateful that no employee or animal was harmed during the storm,” she says. “We were hit hard and lost power for a week, but we are still here and we will continue to be here for the animals.”
    About seven staffers volunteered to work 24/7 shifts during the storm to protect the 200-plus cats, dogs and other animals on this 12-acre property. The shifts began on Sept. 9 and ended on Sept. 12.
    Around 3 p.m. Sept. 10, the storm struck Tri-County Animal Rescue, with the biggest hit delivered when a century-old maple tree landed and crushed the large isolation building. At the time, two employees and about 40 cats and dogs with contagious diseases like ringworm were inside. All escaped injury.
    The staffers braved the high winds and pelting rain to relocate these frightened animals into the main building as power flickered on and off and a backup generator ran until it emptied its diesel supply.
    “Our 2,400-square-foot isolation building is gone,” says Goldsmith. “We are just waiting for the permits to demolish the building.”
    What about insurance to cover the building?
    “We have liability insurance, but we can’t afford insurance to cover loss due to a hurricane,” she says. “We’re a nonprofit and that kind of insurance costs a lot of money that we do not have.”
    Just before Irma’s arrival, people from this rescue shelter made two trips to Houston in trucks loaded with bedding, food, medicine and other items for animals displaced during Hurricane Harvey.
    And after Hurricane Maria, Goldsmith reached out to pilots of small aircrafts to bring in 20 to 30 dogs from Puerto Rico to her rescue compound so the shelter staff could try to get them adopted into homes in South Florida.
    “What happened to Puerto Rico is so mind-blowing and sad,” says Goldsmith. “They got hit worse than we did.”
    Mother Nature is indiscriminate when she unleashes storms, earthquakes and wildfires. Goldsmith offers these tips to other animal shelter groups to help them prepare for the worst and to protect animals under their care:
    • Maintain a large supply of bottled water to give to staffers and animals during storms.
    • Make sure you have a generator for backup power as well as electric drills and saws.
    • Invest in special battery-operated radios that provide up-to-date weather information.
    • Ensure you have enough food stored for the animals.
    • Begin boarding up windows and tying down furniture as soon as you learn that a storm may be heading your way. Goldsmith started this a week before Irma hit.
    • Usher mobile vans and other vehicles into secured parking places so they are not out and exposed to the storm.
    • Bring in air mattresses and plenty of food (sandwiches, potato chips, sodas) for staffers who may not be able to leave the shelter due to the storm conditions.
    • Do your best to keep animals calm and stick to routines as much as possible, including twice-a-day feedings. Goldsmith fitted some storm-fearing dogs with anti-anxiety jackets known as Thundershirts.
    “My advice is to prepare in advance and don’t wait until the last minute,” she says. “I began stockpiling food and water in June.”
    Goldsmith has weathered other hurricanes during her 21 years at Tri-County Animal Rescue and suspects she will weather more.
    “I have such a passion for saving animals’ lives,” she says without hesitation. “It keeps me and my employees going. We are here for the animals. Always have been and always will be.”
    To learn how you can help Tri-County Rescue recover from the storm, visit www.tricountyanimalrescue.com or call 482-8110.

    Arden Moore, a pet health and safety coach, is also an animal behavior consultant, editor, author, speaker and master certified pet first aid instructor.  She hosts the Oh Behave! show on www.PetLifeRadio.com. Learn more by visiting www.ardenmoore.com.