State Rep. Joe Casello

Election slated to fill Rep. Casello’s House seat

Gov. Ron DeSantis has scheduled a special primary election for Sept. 30 to fill the Florida House of Representatives District 90 seat vacated by the death of State Rep. Joe Casello (D-Boynton Beach).

Delray Beach Vice Mayor Rob Long was the only declared candidate as of late July. Rep. Casello, who could not run for re-election in 2026 due to term limits, had earlier endorsed Long as his 2026 replacement in the heavily Democratic district.

A special general election, if needed, is slated for Dec. 9. The District 90 seat, which includes parts of Delray Beach and Boynton Beach, will be up for election again in November 2026.

— Tao Woolfe

Election slated to fill Rep. Casello's House seat

By Tao Woolfe

BOYNTON BEACH — Longtime firefighter and Florida state Rep. Joe Casello, D-Boynton Beach, who went from fighting fires to fighting for his constituents, died on July 18 from a heart attack. He was 73.

The popular politician, who previously served as a Boynton Beach city commissioner, will be missed. 

Term limits prevented him from running for re-election in 2026, so Rep. Casello was planning to run for the Palm Beach County Commission, which was a longtime dream, said his friend and colleague Justin Katz, president of the Palm Beach County Classroom Teachers Association.

“He was 100% gung-ho about the Palm Beach County Commission, even though it would mean a lot more work. Nothing would have stopped him, except this,” Katz said. 

Rep. Casello was born and raised in Worcester, Massachusetts. He joined the Worcester Fire Department in 1974, and was promoted to lieutenant in 1984. During his 33 years with the department, he served many roles, including as an arson investigator and as a liaison to the Massachusetts state Fire Marshal’s Office and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

The Worcester Fire Department posted a statement on its website announcing  Rep. Casello’s death. It said in part: “Joe was dedicated to the Department, the Worcester community, and public service, and his contributions will surely be missed.”

Rep. Casello retired from the department and moved to Florida in 2009. He was first elected to the City Commission in 2013 and the state House in 2018.

“He served people all his life. He would meet with anybody on any issue, even if he completely disagreed with someone. He was a statesman who enjoyed interacting with people,” said Katz, who served with Rep. Casello on the Boynton Beach commission.

Nikki Fried, chairwoman of the Florida Democratic Party, had similar observations.

“Joe Casello was the kind of public servant every community hopes for,” Fried said in a statement posted on the Florida Democratic Party website.

“As a firefighter for 33 years, he literally ran toward danger to protect others. As an Air Force veteran, he understood how important it was to serve selflessly. As a city commissioner and state legislator, he brought that same courage and steady leadership to the halls of government.”

She added, “Whether it was delivering for working families or making government more accessible, Joe always led with heart and common sense.” 

The House Democratic Caucus also issued an obituary, saying Rep. Casello died “surrounded by his loving family and girlfriend.” It called him a champion for first responders, police and firefighters, as well as military veterans, saying, “He has sponsored legislation strengthening medical benefits for firefighters who contract cancer in the line of duty. He also worked with his colleagues to pass a joint resolution allowing the surviving spouses of deceased, disabled veterans to continue claiming the same tax credits to which their families were entitled before death.”

The son of a Navy World War II veteran, Rep. Casello served as a noncommissioned officer in the U.S. Air Force, installing radio transmission sites across the country. He was also an electrical contractor and owned Casello Electrical Services.

He volunteered his time to many organizations, including serving on the boards of the JFK Hospital and the Palm Beach County League of Cities; as president of the Knollwood Homeowners Association; and as a member of both the Palm Beach Sober Home Task Force and the Municipal Retirees Association. 

“He just did lots of good,” Katz said. 

The two men still met regularly at the Copperpoint Brewing Co., where the staff had nicknamed Rep. Casello’s favorite beer “The Commish,” Katz said.

The family has announced that a private ceremony will be held in Massachusetts. A public memorial service is yet to be announced. 

By Mary Hladky

Keeping with longstanding practice, Boca Raton’s property tax rate likely will remain nearly unchanged for the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1.

The proposed FY 2026 tax rate is $3.66 per $1,000 of taxable property value, or 1 cent less than the current $3.67 per $1,000 rate.

That amount allows city officials to say they are decreasing the rate, although the decline is a negligible 0.2%. City officials have long prided themselves on keeping the tax rate low.

Residents owning a home with a taxable value of $450,000 would pay $1,649 in city taxes.

The fire assessment fee for residential properties, which is also included on property tax bills, will remain unchanged at $155. The fire assessments for commercial and industrial properties, which are based on the size of the buildings, also will stay the same.

Although the tax rate remains stable, most property owners will see higher tax bills because taxable values in the city increased 7.5% this year.

To avoid a hike for the average property, the city would have to lower its millage rate to $3.49 per $1,000 of taxable property value, an amount known as the rollback rate.

And even though going to the rollback rate would provide the city an extra $2.5 million from new construction that has been added to the tax rolls this year, city officials say that isn’t enough for a growing city — its population is now 101,000 — that needs to hire more employees, buy more equipment, upgrade facilities and pay the increased cost of materials and supplies that have risen due to inflation. The city also is under pressure from residents to provide high-quality services.

Most homeowners are shielded from the full effect of the increased values because state law caps the taxable value increase for homesteaded properties at 3% a year. Non-homesteaded properties are capped at 10%.

In outlining the tax rate and budget to City Council members on July 14, Deputy City Manager and Chief Financial Officer Jim Zervis noted that the city’s taxable values rose to $40.2 billion this year and new construction added to the tax roll totaled $729 million. Both are higher than in any other Palm Beach County city or town.

Next year’s proposed general fund budget is $254.9 million, up from this year’s $247.4 million. About half of the higher amount is due to salary, pension and cost-of-living increases.

A public hearing on the tax rate and budget is tentatively set for Sept. 8 at 6 p.m. at the city building at 6500 Congress Avenue.

The tax rate and budget will be finalized at the end of September. 

By Rich Pollack

Water and sewer system improvement projects and road renovations, along with public safety enhancements, were among projects in south Palm Beach County that survived state budget cuts and received funding.

While Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed many of the appropriations that made it through the legislative approval process, infrastructure projects in Boca Raton, Delray Beach, Boynton Beach and Lantana received a green light as did public safety projects in Highland Beach and Delray Beach. 

“The governor, the speaker of the House and the House budget chair all want to support Palm Beach County,” said state Rep. Peggy Gossett-Seidman, who fought for many of the appropriations received by the area’s municipalities. “They recognize that we work hard to keep our residents safe and thriving.” 

Water and sewer projects were a priority for the governor, according to Gossett-Seidman, and several projects in south Palm Beach County were funded. They include:

• The Golden Harbor Water Infrastructure improvements project in Boca Raton, which received $750,000 for replacing old pipes in the Golden Harbor community near Lake Wyman Park, east of Federal Highway. The project is scheduled to begin this year. 

• The Boynton Beach Water System Improvement project, which includes replacing old pipes, received $375,000, half of the total $750,000 cost. The project is set to begin and end next year. 

• Lantana’s Water Main Improvement Project, which included the second phase of a large-scale pipe replacement project that began last month, received $1.3 million.

Among the sewer projects funded are: 

• A lift station replacement project in Lantana, which received $500,000 to rehabilitate four lift stations. 

• The Sanitary Sewer Collection System Improvement Project in Boynton Beach received $500,000 to replace existing pipes. The total cost of the project, which is set to begin next year, is $1 million. 

Both approved projects in Boynton Beach were sponsored in the Florida Senate by Sen. Lori Berman, and co-sponsored in the House by State Rep. Joe Casello. Berman also co-sponsored the Lantana water project, and the Golden Harbor project in Boca Raton with Gossett-Seidman. 

Berman and Casello also shepherded a $600,000 request from Ocean Ridge for its water main replacement project through the Legislature — but DeSantis struck it from the budget. 

One of the biggest South County projects to receive funding is the El Rio Trail Project in Boca Raton, which will include creating an underpass for the trail at Spanish River Boulevard. The trail is now detoured to Northwest Sixth Way and back at the boulevard because of safety crossing concerns following numerous crashes there. 

The trail is a pathway for pedestrians, joggers, bicyclists and for other non-motorized uses along the El Rio Canal, east of Interstate 95 south of Yamato Road and west of the interstate north of Yamato. The city will receive $1 million for the project, which could cost as much as $7.5 million.

“The primary purpose of the El Rio Trail Project is to construct an underpass crossing of Spanish River Boulevard,” city officials said. “This underpass will connect the two segments of the El Rio Trail, thereby reducing illegal pedestrian crossing maneuvers and creating a more pleasant and safer experience for all trail users.”

Gossett-Seidman, who sponsored the appropriation in the House while state Sen. Tina Polsky sponsored it in the Senate, said that the crossing of Spanish River Boulevard has become more treacherous with the opening of the I-95 interchange.  

The project could begin next year and be completed in about two years. 

Another road improvement project, this one on the border of Delray Beach and Boynton Beach, received $1 million in funding.  

The Gulfstream Boulevard/Southeast 36th Avenue Streetscape Improvement project will address degradation issues that are causing sinking of the roadway in several areas. The project, which has a total price of $2 million and will begin as early as this month, was sponsored by Berman in the Senate and Gossett-Seidman in the House.

“As someone who lives in the community, I was well aware of the significant degradation issues and am confident that this funding will help restore the roadway so it can stay in service in good condition for years to come,” Berman said. 

The Legislature also funded two local public safety projects, including approving $250,000 to expand the reach of the Delray Beach Police Department’s Real Time Crime center, which includes cameras on the barrier island as well as in other areas of the city. 

In Highland Beach, the town will receive $250,000 to help pay for a public safety dock on the Intracoastal Waterway that can be used by police and fire rescue personnel in the event of water-related medical emergencies. The town is hoping to get additional funding for the $2.2 million project from the Florida Inland Navigation District.

Gossett-Seidman and Highland Beach Town Manager Marshall Labadie say that the dock, specially designed for public safety, will be a facility that is available to all police and fire rescue departments in the area. 

“The funding is a commitment from the state to put a regional public safety facility on the Intracoastal Waterway,” Labadie said. 

By Brian Biggane

Over the past three years, the South Palm Beach Town Council has consistently planned to construct its new Town Hall with structural insulated panels (SIPs), a modern approach council members have said would enhance the town’s reputation.

That may yet change.

Joe Barry, vice president of CPZ Architects, the firm responsible for drawing up plans for the project, said at the July council meeting that he plans to present options in tilt wall and concrete block construction as well as SIPs when the time comes to make that decision.

“We’ve decided to explore our options and keep them open, based on construction costs and project duration,” Barry said moments after leaving the meeting. “The council supports being better informed to make that decision.”

Council member Elvadianne Culbertson said the protracted time frame of working through myriad issues to get to this point may have changed the equation.

“Five years ago, SIPs was definitely faster and less expensive, so is that still the case?” Culbertson asked. “I want to be sure that the new technology is still what we want.”

Barry assured the council that CPZ is fully prepared to go ahead with SIPs if that’s the decision, and he recalled that when CPZ made its formal presentation to win the contract in late 2024, that an SIPs expert was one of its five representatives at the meeting.

Later, he added, “The initial studies we did early on didn’t indicate any difference (in cost) between any of the construction methods.”

Mayor Bonnie Fischer, who has been a proponent of SIPs almost since the decision to build a new Town Hall was made, said she will wait until she gets more information before making up her mind.

“I’ve been adamant about it; my only issue is it’s been three years and we don’t know if the price has gone up. That’s my preferred choice but I’m open to other alternatives,” she said.

“But I would like to stick with (SIPs). I think it would expedite the building process. And it’s something that would put South Palm Beach on the map, if we did something unique.”

Fischer and Vice Mayor Monte Berendes also quizzed Barry about altering the size of the building, Fischer wanting to make the ceilings higher to enhance the views of the ocean and the Intracoastal Waterway and Berendes to make the building smaller.

“We’re going to look more closely at the overall size of the building,” Barry said. That needs to be done before other consultants he plans to bring on board get involved, he said.

Updating what has been done so far, Barry said an environmental task force had uncovered remnants of old storage tanks — containing contaminants — underneath the current building. The council approved a motion to continue that work.

“It’s not, ‘Oh my God, we have all these contaminants,’ it’s just slightly elevated,” Barry said. “So, what this allows them to do is come back and do a little more to expand their exploration, to get a better picture of what this ground contamination is doing or where it exists to get a better understanding of what we’re dealing with.”

Barry said he expects his firm will require another nine to 12 months to complete its work, meaning it will likely be at least April 2026 before a groundbreaking ceremony can be held.

“This is a typical process that I would see in most municipalities,” he said after the meeting. “What’s different is council was very careful to go through a conceptual design process first to make sure all the needs and wants were taken into account and they came to a consensus. 

“The council unanimously approved the conceptual design, which is really important. I really celebrate how they went about that, and uniting them is going to help us move forward from here.” 

By Mary Hladky

Even as the residents’ group Save Boca tries to halt redevelopment of the city’s downtown campus, Boca Raton officials are moving ahead to relocate municipal offices that won’t be part of the new campus.

With Council member Yvette Drucker not present for a portion of the meeting, the City Council on July 15 voted 4-0 to buy the Meridian Office Center South, located at 6551 Park of Commerce Blvd. — west of Interstate 95 and south of Clint Moore Road — for $17.4 million.

The 70,000-square-foot building will accommodate 430 city employees who now work in City Hall and the nearby Building Administration and Code Enforcement building, which is the former downtown library.

Employees who work in the offices of the city manager, city clerk and city attorney will work in a new City Hall on the planned campus that is about half the size of the current one, but the rest would be relocated.

City officials previously planned to build new space for the code and building department offices near City Hall, but they changed course when the decision was made to redevelop the 30-acre downtown campus, which includes government and park space.

City staff and consultant CBRE evaluated 15 properties and city staff toured 10 of them. Most were located west of Interstate 95 and north of Yamato Road. The city’s northwest is its fastest-growing area and city officials now consider it to be the city’s center.

They considered leasing space, but high lease costs prompted them to consider a purchase. The $17.4 million is about half the cost of constructing new buildings for those employees on the campus due to the increase in construction prices, said CBRE’s Will Portfolio.

City officials also said the Meridian building will need very little refurbishing before city employees move in. City Manager George Brown described it as a “valuable asset to the city” that can be sold if city needs change.

“It was a superior, more efficient building,” said Council member Marc Wigder.

“Considering the costs of construction, it is a decent deal for the city,” said Council member Andy Thomson.

Referring to the fact that the current City Hall leaks, is old and in poor condition, “It gets our people into suitable working conditions,” he said.

Police station plans
The city also plans to build a new police headquarters on city-owned land east of the Spanish River Library, while a police substation would be on the downtown campus. City officials will provide details on that project by early fall. Voters will be asked to approve bond financing for the headquarters in the March 2026 elections.

Historic building may stay
Meanwhile, the city might backtrack on a decision to move three historically notable homes off the downtown campus and into Meadows Park — near Boca Raton Middle School — and the Boca Raton Cemetery and Mausoleum on Southwest Fourth Avenue. The relocation would cost $4.2 million.

“We are evaluating whether we need to move all three buildings,” Brown said July 14. Under consideration is possibly keeping the Singing Pines Children’s Museum building, which has the most historic significance, on the campus. 

Tax rate holding steady as values take a hit — The South Palm Beach Town Council has tentatively approved keeping the town’s property tax rate unchanged from last year — at $3.40 for each $1,000 of taxable value.

The council made that decision after Town Manager Jamie Titcomb reported the town was the only municipality in Palm Beach County to see its taxable property value drop this year — if only by 0.21%, or roughly a $1.4 million decrease to $639.5 million.

Titcomb credited the drop to “the cooling off” of the market for older condos in recent years, fueled in part by higher assessments needed to meet requirements that condo associations build up their reserves to fund future repairs.

On a related subject, Town Accountant Ron Bennett reported that the town had spent only 60% of its budget and the fiscal year was 75% complete. Titcomb said any surplus would be added to the Town Hall fund.

Letter carrier honored — Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Mark Garrison announced that U.S. Postal Service employee Veronica Thompson had been named the recipient of the Star Resident Award. She received it for coming to the aid of a resident she found unresponsive in a car in June. 

Garrison said Thompson not only called first responders to the scene but, upon seeing the woman had groceries in the back seat, arranged for them to be held in a nearby condo until she could return to claim them.

Mayor Bonnie Fischer also recognized Deputy Donna Korb on her 25th anniversary with PBSO.

CAAB appointment — Louis J. Urban was appointed to the Community Affairs Advisory Board.

Council plans road trip — In an unusual move, the entire five-person Town Council plans to attend the annual Florida League of Cities meeting in Orlando in August. Fischer will be the town’s voting delegate.

— Brian Biggane

Boca Raton Mayor Scott Singer scored airtime after the Democratic mayoral primary in New York. Screen grab provided

By Mary Hladky

As soon as democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani won the Democratic primary for mayor of New York on June 24, Boca Raton Mayor Scott Singer sprang into action.

Mamdani’s campaign promises included free city buses and child care, a rent freeze, government-run grocery stores, and hikes in the minimum wage and the corporate tax rate, all likely not to sit well with many business leaders.

So, Singer scored interviews with conservative outlets including Fox News, Fox Business, Newsmax and the New York Post to talk up the benefits of relocating to Boca Raton.

“FL Mayor Offers Escape from a Mamdani-led NYC” and “FL Mayor Offers Sanctuary for NYC Capitalists,” proclaimed two of the television station chyrons.

Singer, whose final term as mayor ends in March and who reportedly is considering a run for Congress, capped the media blitz with an advertisement in Times Square showcasing the city’s virtues and urging businesses to “Join Us.”

The city staff-created ad, 56 feet wide and 29 feet high, will be in place through Sept. 30. The regular cost would have been nearly $210,000, but the city got a discounted rate of $70,000,

“We took to Times Square to remind decision-makers that there’s a smarter place to grow,” Singer wrote on Facebook. “For businesses in NYC and beyond looking to thrive in a business-friendly, lifestyle-rich environment, Boca Raton stands out as the clear choice.”

He directed those wanting to know more about what the city offers to NYtoBoca.com, a new website created by the city’s Office of Economic Development.

Singer always has been an enthusiastic Boca Raton booster who promotes the city’s advantages to the business community. What’s different this time is the overtly political edge to his message after Mamdani’s primary win.

But his underlying pitch to business is unchanged. Boca Raton is a good place to do business. It is headquarters to more than 40 publicly traded corporations, three universities, has relocation and business incentives and a low tax rate.

As a place to live, it has five miles of coastline, 49 parks, great public and private schools and quality city services and public safety.

In a July 14 email to residents, Singer noted the “positive national media coverage” of the city that he had generated.

“The timing couldn’t be better because our contrast to ideas in the New York City mayoral primary helped Boca Raton’s story catch fire,” he wrote.

“So, if we are able to capture a few more corporate headquarters to add to our more than 40 publicly traded companies, we can enhance our business base and quality of life for all residents.”

So far, though, no businesses have made the leap.

Asked if they had, Singer instead cited positive media coverage that he said is valued at more than $3 million and that received 86 million views in just two weeks.

“Our marketing campaign generated, in just a few weeks, nearly two thousand website visits and a four-fold increase in visits to our city’s business development website,” he wrote to The Coastal Star. “We hope to attract a steady business growth that will continue to add to our success.”

The city’s economic development director, Jessica Del Vecchio, said no business yet has said it will come to Boca Raton as a result of the recent city efforts, but she also noted the increased attention her office is getting since the billboard went up in Times Square.

“There is a lot of uncertainty going on (in New York City). We thought now is a good time to market to people who might be considering a move,” she said.

City residents responding to Singer’s social media posts are divided on his actions. He drew praise, but also criticism from people who say Boca should not try to attract any new residents.

“Booo! It’s already overcrowded and getting worse with each new project,” said one.

“We’re full! Stop it,” said another, while a third said, “No thank you. Boca is better off without any influx of NYers.” 

Judi Alweil and her daughter, Karen Alweil Helfman, from Stitches by the Sea hold a needlepoint canvas depicting Atlantic Avenue downtown. Delray Beach residents are paying for each stitch to raise money for the Arts Garage. Behind the pair are women working on individual projects during a sewing retreat at Stitches by the Sea. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star 

By Christine Davis 

When Karen Alweil Helfman, co-owner of Stitches by the Sea in Delray Beach, learned that the Arts Garage had lost government grants, a light came on for her, she says. 

“I wanted to do something to give back to my community, but I didn’t know what place I wanted to raise money for,” she said. “When I heard the Arts Garage had lost all that money, it was a no-brainer. Art is so important to me, and art affects kids, adults and the community.”

Stitches by the Sea, at 710 E. Atlantic Ave., offers hand-painted canvases and threads as well as classes and personal instruction. 

Here’s the project Alweil Helfman implemented in November: She is offering people the opportunity to pay $10 for 10 stitches to help create a canvas, which she will then sell, donating the proceeds and the profits to the Arts Garage. 

“Our goal is to raise $32,448,” she said, explaining that this amount accounts for the number of stitches in the hand-made canvas, which by the way, is of downtown Atlantic Avenue and is based on a painting by Lake Worth Beach watercolor artist Ellen Negley. 

Alweil Helfman has spread the word to her customers and via her Instagram account @stitchesbythesea. She and her family have donated the canvas, which retails for $410, plus another $150 to cover the cost of the threads.

“So far, we have a little over $7,200, but not that many stitches because people are so generous,” she said. “They are sending checks saying, ‘Put in my stitches for me.’”

Alweil Helfman’s parents, Judi and Richard Alweil, opened the store after they retired and moved from Long Island to the area 15 years ago. “My mother has been in the business for years,” Alweil Helfman said. “She started out selling needlepoint from her mother-in-law’s home in Long Island and she also had a wholesale company of needlepoint and knitting yarns.”

While Judi Alweil ran the Atlantic Avenue store, her daughter stayed in New York, running the wholesale line. “I used to dye the knitting yarns,” Alweil Helfman said, “and then I moved down here with my family about nine years ago.”

After she joined the business, so did her daughter, Mollie.

“We have created a community here at Stitches by the Sea, and our customers have been so supportive of us. It only seemed natural to want to give back to a community that has been so good to us,” Alweil Helfman said.

Marjorie Waldo, Arts Garage president and CEO, explained how the funding shortfall came to be. “In 2024-25, the Arts Garage received zero dollars from the state Department of Cultural Affairs when the governor vetoed the arts and culture budget,” she said, amounting to more than $32 million statewide in grants for that line item.  

At that point, the Arts Garage launched a Call to Action fundraising campaign and raised the dollars that it lost when the veto occurred. 

“In 2025-26, Arts Garage may receive a maximum of $4,500, but even that has not been confirmed,” Waldo said. A change in guidelines means that only organizations scoring 95-100 will receive full funding. Arts Garage scored a 91 and the state has a small fund that will be divided among all of the applications that scored between 80 and 94.9 (so, a maximum of $4,500).

Instead of budgeting any state funds, “we’ve increased donor engagement and made a few very careful cuts to operating expenses to cover the lost funds. We have not had to cut any staff or programming as of today,” Waldo said. 

“Our donors have been incredibly generous and seeing a local business like Stitches by the Sea stand up for us with fundraisers like the Needlepointers for the Arts campaign is very rewarding,” Waldo said.  

“Karen Helfman is an amazing community member who stood up for us when we most needed her.”

To participate, visit Stitches by the Sea. The shop is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

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Richard and Diane Templer, owners of racehorses through Doubledown Stables, sold their 8,912-square-foot home at 190 NE Fifth Ave., on the Intracoastal Waterway in Boca Raton, for $18.73 million. The new owner is the Kendal Land Trust, with Cathleen G. Todd as trustee. On a 0.67-acre parcel, the five-bedroom home has a dock, summer kitchen, pool and a fire pit. The home last traded for $12.15 million in 2019. D’Angelo/Liguori and Pascal Liguori Estate Group of Premier Estate Properties brokered the deal. 

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Paul and Joyce Schoemaker, former university professors, sold their oceanfront property at 755 N. Ocean Blvd., Delray Beach, to 755 N Ocean LLC for $17.5 million. According to the Florida incorporation documents, the LLC is managed by Cara Zuraksi with an email address at N.F. Smith, a Houston-based firm that distributes electronic components. 

Built on a 0.48-acre site in 1992, the six-bedroom, 8,546-square-foot home features an elevator, a tiki hut with a bamboo bar, a media room and a private path to the beach. 

The property last traded in 2012 for $6 million. Nick Malinosky and Michael O’Connor of Douglas Elliman represented the sellers in the new deal, while Maximo Cortese of Tangent Realty worked with the buyer.

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Horizon of Delray Beach Inc., the co-op representing the 10 unit owners at 1191 S. Ocean Blvd., Delray Beach, sold the property to 1191 S. Ocean Blvd LLC, managed by investor Daniel E. Edwards. Highland Beach-based 1191 S. Ocean CJ, LLC provided a $10.5 million mortgage to the buyer, with Edwards signing as guarantor. The co-op was built in 1952 on a lot of just under one acre. Edwards owned one of its 10 units. The sale was approved by the board and indicates potential redevelopment.

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RealTrends Verified, a real estate performance platform, has published its lists of top agents from 2024, with agents and teams from south Palm Beach County recognized.

Nationally, David Roberts of Royal Palm Properties, Boca Raton, ranked No. 8. Among Florida agents, he ranked No. 2 with $624 million in volume. 

Other agents who placed in the top 50 for volume among Florida agents include: 

• No. 21, Marcy F. Javor, of Signature ONE Luxury Estates, Boca Raton, with $134 million; 

• No. 22, Michael Ledwitz, Engel & Völkers, Boca Raton, $128 million; 

• No. 24, Rochelle LeCavalier, Douglas Elliman, Boca Raton, with $121 million; 

• No. 43, Bonnie Heatzig, Compass, Boca Raton, with $91 million. 

In the Small Teams category for volume, The Friis Team, Corcoran, Delray Beach, ranked No. 28 nationally and No. 6 among Florida agents, with $251 million; and the D’Angelo/Liguori Team, Premier Estates Properties, Boca Raton, ranked No. 34 nationally and No. 8 in Florida, with $230 million.

Other Small Teams that placed in the top 50 for Florida for volume are:

• No. 28, Matt and Nick Team, Serhant, Delray Beach, with $119 million;

• No. 37, Ina Bloom, Compass, Boca Raton, with $95 million; 

• No. 48, Karp/Wells Team, Premier Estate Properties, Boca Raton, with $79 million.

In the Medium Teams category for volume: 

• No. 8 nationally and No. 2 in Florida, The Senada Adzem Team, Douglas Elliman, Boca Raton, with $386 million; 

• No. 44 nationally and No. 10 in Florida, Pascal Liguori Estate Group, Premier Estate Properties, Delray Beach, with $204 million.

Other teams among the top 50 in the Medium Teams category for Florida for volume: 

• No. 24, Alicia Gold, Compass, Boca Raton, with $105 million;  

• No. 42, The Buchbinder Group, Boca Raton, with $73 million. 

For the Large Teams category for volume, the Jonathan Postma Group, Coldwell Banker Realty, Boca Raton, placed No. 39 nationally and No. 5 among Florida agents with $234 million.

Other area Large Teams placing in the top 50 among Florida agents for volume:

• No. 13, Jennifer Kilpatrick Team, Corcoran, Delray Beach, with $142 million;  

• No. 39, The Rucco Group, RE/MAX Direct, Delray Beach, with $88 million;

• No. 48, The Modern Group, One Sotheby’s International Realty, Boca Raton, with $75 million.

Mega Teams ranking within the top 50 for volume in Florida:

• No. 11, The Koolik Group, Compass, Boca Raton, $291 million; 

• No. 13, The Platt Group, Compass, Delray Beach, with $251 million;  

• No. 42, The Saperstein Group, eXp Realty, Boca Raton, with $99 million.

The rankings were open to real estate professionals who chose to participate in the project, based on their reported sales volume and other criteria. 

Under the rules of the survey, agents and brokers who handled both sides of a transaction — representing the buyer and the seller — were allowed to double the final dollar figure when they calculated their total sales volume for the sale.

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Huk, offering fishing and water-based lifestyle apparel, opened a store in July at 310A E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach. The 2,300-square-foot location is Huk’s 16th retail store nationwide and its third in Florida. 

“Florida has always been a core part of Huk’s story, and we’re thrilled to continue our retail growth with a third location in the state,” said Scott Smith, Huk’s vice president of marketing. “Delray Beach is a vibrant coastal community that lives and breathes the on-the-water lifestyle, making it a natural fit for Huk’s high-performance gear and outdoor spirit.” 

Huk apparel offers ICE cooling technology, moisture-wicking fabrics and sun protection, with styles for men, women and kids. 

For more information, visit huk.com.

***                             

The Boynton Beach Online Chamber of Commerce has grown to become the Boynton Beach Chamber of Industry and Commerce, which will operate as a traditional Chamber of Commerce designed to promote and protect the interests of its members and contribute to the economic vitality of the community. It will act as a central point for networking, advocacy, and community engagement for business and industry. For more information, visit BoyntonChamber.org.

***                             

The nonprofit Institute for Regional Conservation, as part of its mission to protect, restore and manage biological diversity, offers a free online tool “Natives For Your Neighborhood” at regionalconservation.org/beta/nfyn/default.asp. This database helps residents, landscapers and educators identify native plants, making it easier to know what to plant if nonnative plants are removed. 

Also, the institute announced three new board members: Bill Petry, Jorge Carlos Trejo Torres and Alan Franck. 

Petry, of Delray Beach, has been a volunteer with the institute since 2018. He brings experience in business and conservation nonprofit management to the board. Institute associate Torres, who resides in Mérida, Mexico, will help move forward programs in the Yucatan and Puerto Rico. Franck, an expert in plant taxonomy and floristics based at the Florida Museum of Natural History at the University of Florida, will elevate the collaborative work in plant conservation and restoration.

                       ***                              

Boca Raton resident Susan P. Brockway concluded her years of service to the Community Foundation of Palm Beach and Martin Counties board of directors in June. She joined the board in 2016 and recently served as vice chair. 

She previously served as secretary and chair of the governance committee, and she was an active member of both the executive and governance committees.

A certified public accountant, Brockway built a professional career with PwC Coopers & Lybrand in West Palm Beach and later served as a financial controller for a real estate and golf course developer in Boca Raton. 

***                               

The Jewish Foundation for the Righteous has selected 12 middle and high school teachers and Holocaust Center personnel from five states to participate in its 2025 European study program in the Netherlands, Germany and Denmark. 

The largest contingent in this year’s program came from Palm Beach County. Among them were Maureen Carter of Boca Raton Community High School, Risa Della Rocca of Spanish River Community High School in Boca Raton and Julie Gates of Loggers’ Run Middle School in Boca Raton.  

“As we continue to move further away from the Holocaust, it is more important to empower our educators to better teach their students about the Holocaust,” said Stanlee Stahl, Jewish Federation for the Righteous executive vice president.

“By visiting the places where these complex events occurred, educators can better connect to what they are teaching, making them more effective teachers. The program is designed to help educators learn the Holocaust experientially so they can present it in a more meaningful and insightful way to their students and colleagues when they return to their schools.”

***

Boca Raton Achievement Center, a nonprofit educational institution that serves 11- to 22-year-old students with autism spectrum disorder and related disabilities, has moved to a 9,500-square-foot facility at 2481 NW Second Ave., Boca Raton. 

“One of the biggest challenges was zoning and finding a location with an appropriate traffic flow,” said Executive Director Evelyn Falconer. “We needed a place where families could drop off and pick up their children safely without impeding traffic on the main road. Our new home allows us to queue up to 30 cars around the building, which is a huge bonus.” 

Highlights of the new campus include an expanded space, custom-built classrooms, gym and indoor activity centers, and a large parking lot. 

It also has a new ambience: “People walk in and say, ‘Wow, it feels like a real school,’” said Falconer. “And we say, ‘That’s because it is a real school.’” 

For more information, visit bocaratonachievement.com or call 561-559-9768.

Christine Davis writes about business and can be reached at cdavis9797@gmail.com.

Sargassum inundated South County’s shoreline and, as seen here at South Beach Park, more kept washing ashore ­— creating a barrier for surfers and swimmers to cross to get to the ocean from the beach. Larry Barszewski/The Coastal Star

By Steve Plunkett

The Greater Boca Raton Beach and Park District has wired the city $10,227,451 as early payoff of the bond that enabled acquisition of the Ocean Breeze property for the new North Park and is eagerly awaiting transfer of the title.

The move allowed the Beach and Park District to gain full ownership of the property, north of Yamato Road and west of Northwest Second Avenue, and save $1,083,600 in interest, Executive Director Briann Harms said.

The district had accumulated enough money through current and prior year savings, additional revenues and unspent capital project funds, she said. The early payoff will not affect any other ongoing or planned projects.

District Commissioner Steve Engel said he had always been taught and firmly believes that the less debt you have, the better off you are.

“This is our only debt,” Engel said before the July 7 vote. “Outside of this note, we are debt-free.”

Paying off the bond also allows the district to pursue a public-private partnership to develop the west side of the park, something it could not do under the terms of the bond’s agreement.

At the district’s July 21 meeting, commissioners adopted a tentative property tax rate of $1.08 per $1,000 of taxable value for the coming year, the same rate as in fiscal years 2023, 2024 and 2025.

The district’s total tax base has increased to $46.2 billion, up 7.4% from the current year, Harms said. The tentative rate will generate $48.4 million in tax revenue, up $3.2 million from this year, and amount to a $540 bill for a home worth $500,000.

Commissioner Craig Ehrnst said he empathized with homeowners facing higher bills and argued unsuccessfully for shaving 2 cents off the tax rate.

“Boca has become a lot more expensive,” he said.

The district will hold its first public hearing on the proposed budget at 6 p.m. Sept. 2, the day after Labor Day, and its final public hearing at 6 p.m. Sept. 15.

Big-ticket items in the coming budget include $22 million to develop the east side of North Park and $4.5 million for a shade structure over the roller rink at Sugar Sand Park.

As part of Boca Raton’s centennial celebrations, the city has invited artists to submit proposals for artwork to adorn the Mizner Park Amphitheater’s stage doors.

Inspiration for their works will come from an earlier centennial celebration effort known as “Zip Ode.” The city partnered with the poetry organization O, Miami last year to encourage residents to write five-line poetic tributes to the city, with the number of words in each line based on residents’ ZIP code numbers.

The deadline for South Florida artists to submit their proposals was July 21. A selection panel will choose one to create an Ode to Boca mural for the stage doors.

The work will be completed in October. The city has budgeted $80,000 for this project.

“We look forward to seeing the community’s voices expressed through unique artistic ideas, creating a lasting tribute to the city’s centennial celebration,” Veronica Hatch, the city’s public art coordinator, said in a statement.

The new artwork will replace the mural that was first displayed on the amphitheater’s 30-by-60-foot stage doors in 2021. That mural, titled “On Stage,” featured a musician and a dancer and was created by well-known West Palm Beach artist Eduardo Mendieta.

The city recently decided the doors were due for an artistic refresh that honored the city’s 100th birthday. Several odes written by residents now are temporarily displayed on the doors.

— Mary Hladky

By Janis Fontaine

An appeal that would have prevented Boca Beach Chabad from securing a new home in an office building on East Palmetto Park Road has been dropped.

Boca Raton City Manager George Brown said the appeal was removed from the July 14 Community Redevelopment Agency meeting agenda and the prior approval now stands.

The approval allows the building at 490 E. Palmetto Park Road, just west of Silver Palm Park, to change from office to institutional use to accommodate a place of worship on the first floor. The amended request covers 3,718 square feet of the existing three-story, 30,895-square-foot building.

The religious center will be known as Boca Beach Jewish Center-Chabad, formerly at 120 NE First Ave. across the street from Sanborn Square, which the community had long ago outgrown.

The CRA, which oversees downtown development, said a major concern over the change in use was that it would bring a concentration of people and traffic to the property all at once, as opposed to a more staggered usage throughout the day that is associated with an office building. Other concerns were that the religious use would expand and cause issues with residential parking, especially during special events and around holidays.

But the city conducted an independent traffic study that showed the change in use would not result in an increase in the net number of people into and out of the building and that holding occasional special events would require a review and approval through the special event permit process already established by the city.

The new approval is scaled back from the original plan, which asked to use 15,000 square feet of space for the community center and a synagogue — more than four times the size that was eventually approved. According to city officials, after consultation with zoning officials, the property owner reduced the request to convert just 12% of the building’s floor space for “religious purposes.”

The building was purchased by Boca Beach Jewish Educational Center Inc. for $13 million in August 2024. The Chabad launched a capital campaign that raised $9 million in three months and a mortgage supplied the balance.

Rabbi Ruvi New had hoped renovations would be completed in time for 2025’s High Holy Days that start in late September, but the appeal prevented that from happening.

But winning the appeal is progress, and the city is reviewing the plans for renovations.

By Mary Hladky

Penn-Florida Companies’ 101 Via Mizner luxury apartment building in downtown Boca Raton has been sold for $235 million and could be converted into condos.

Penn-Florida faced losing the 366-unit building at 101 E. Camino Real when an affiliate of Blackstone Mortgage Trust, which provided a $195 million senior loan to the Boca Raton-based company, filed a notice in December that it had initiated a Uniform Commercial Code foreclosure on the building for failing to pay off the loan. An auction was to be held on Jan. 15.

At the time, Penn-Florida said the loan was in good standing and was in the process of being repaid. Shortly thereafter, Penn-Florida affiliate Via Mizner Owner 1 LLC filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection to head off the auction and give it more time to complete refinancing.

But in April, Via Mizner Owner 1 sought to auction the property. That auction was set for June 16 and then pushed to July 8.

The auction went by the wayside when Cardone Real Estate Acquisitions — led by real estate investor, author and social media celebrity Grant Cardone — submitted a $230 million “stalking horse” bid for the apartment building.

In the latest twist to this saga, Cardone and Penn-Florida formed a joint venture to buy the property. Penn-Florida was to pay $15 million of the purchase price and Cardone would provide the rest to pay off creditors, including Blackstone, The Real Deal reported.

U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Peter Russin approved the sale on July 11.

Pleadings in the bankruptcy case allow for the possibility that the apartments could be converted into condos. Cardone told The Real Deal that is the plan.

“Penn-Florida is thrilled to enter into this partnership with Cardone Capital,” the company said in a statement. “Grant Carone shares our vision to preserve 101 Via Mizner as Boca Raton’s premier downtown address.”

The apartment building, completed in 2017, is part of a three-phase project that would also include a 164-room Mandarin Oriental hotel and 85 branded residences. The apartment building sale does not affect the hotel and residences.

Construction of the hotel and residences has dragged along at a snail’s pace for years and is well beyond the original 2017 completion date. Many Boca Raton residents consider the project an eyesore.

Within the past few months, the construction pace has picked up a bit, with balconies now installed and paint on some of the walls. But it seems highly unlikely work will be done by the end of this year, the latest announced completion date.

A number of prospective condo owners who had placed large deposits have tired of waiting for work to be completed and have filed lawsuits seeking return of their money. Some have reached settlement agreements with Penn-Florida, but other cases are pending. 

After reviewing scores of applications, Boca Raton City Council members have winnowed to seven the number of city manager candidates they will interview for the city’s top job.

The council will conduct interviews on Aug. 12 and could make a selection the same day.

That person will replace City Manager George Brown, who is retiring on Jan. 2. Brown is a 43-year city employee who served as deputy city manager for 21 years until he was promoted on Jan. 1, 2024, replacing Leif Ahnell.

The council shunned four of the applicants whom the recruitment firm Mercer Group Associates recommended as finalists for the job and added four others from the applicant pool.

The seven include Boca Raton Deputy City Managers Jorge Camejo, a former executive director of the city’s Community Redevelopment Agency, and Jim Zervis, who was hired by the city as chief financial officer in 2024 and promoted earlier this year.

The others are:

• Sonia Alves-Viveiros, now city manager/business administrator for the Township of Edison, New Jersey, and formerly city manager of Englewood, New Jersey;
• Patrick Jordan, a former county administrator for Ionia County, Michigan, and formerly city manager of Escanaba, Michigan;
• Stan Morris, city manager and formerly deputy city manager of Sunny Isles Beach;
• Mark Sohaney, former chief executive officer of Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Hawaii and formerly chief executive officer of Naval Air Station Key West; and
• Victor Spinelli, former chief operations officer of the U.S. Air Force in Tampa and formerly Air Force operations manager in Suffolk, United Kingdom.

— Mary Hladky

Restaurants serve up tacos, burgers, sushi and more that adhere to Jewish dietary laws

Chinese food such as steamed chicken dumplings, top, long noodle soup, middle, and sesame chicken, bottom, can keep their same flavors and still be prepared following kosher guidelines. Photos by Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

By Jan Norris

Kosher pizza? Tacos? And barbecue?

This is not your bubbe’s deli food.

South Florida restaurants are updating menus to include kosher foods, both casual and fine dining.

Owners are finding they attract not only the Jewish and other diners who keep kosher, but many who have never eaten the restricted diet but find they like the fresh flavors and “clean” preparations.

Ai Lien Chung, co-owner of Bambu Pan Asian in Boca Raton, says that her customers often tell her they used to keep kosher diets, but quit.

“They say they will start again after tasting our food — it’s so good.”

A kosher food supervisor whose name is Boruch watches as chef Lee Tran prepares chicken curry at Bambu Pan Asian in Boca Raton. The foods, modern and traditional Chinese, are “very popular,” Lien Chung said. The mini chain the Chungs started in Miami opened in Boca Raton in 2023. It now has a third restaurant in Hollywood.

The restaurant is glatt kosher — certified to the highest standards, overseen by an Orthodox rabbi or representative before it’s opened. Ovens and stoves are torched to burn off all nonkosher foods in a procedure called kashering, and all meats are guaranteed to be from kosher butchers. Other strict rules from a long list are followed.

“The rabbi came in, fired the kitchen, and made sure all meats were cleaned correctly. All sauces prepared correctly,” she said.

Bambu is at 141 NW 20th St., just west of Dixie Highway. Though her target audience is farther west, non-Jewish residents of east Boca are coming for the food, Chung said.

“The Boca customers are really getting into it,” she said. “Many found us and they drive a long way to get here.”

Her foods stem from childhoods she and her husband spent in Israel in combination with traditional Chinese dishes she learned at the same time. After moving to the United States 27 years ago, and working in kosher restaurants in Miami, the couple decided to open their own kosher Chinese.

A bar and grill may not come to mind as kosher, but at Ditmas Wok and Grill, 21077 Powerline Road in Boca Raton, you can enjoy a cocktail with the Dirty Pico Taco at the bar. Burgers, steaks, chicken — all here, all kosher. Just don’t expect traditional mac ’n’ cheese as a side. Meat and dairy are never mixed at the same meal if kosher.

Several kosher restaurants are higher end, with main dishes costing more than $100 a plate, giving kosher diners an upscale experience.

At the W in Boynton Beach, 12250 Westchester Club Drive, a full line of sushi sits alongside glatt kosher wagyu steaks in a fine-dining steakhouse setting, a far cry from a deli with pastrami sandwiches.

Prime rib egg rolls and tempura cauliflower with dipping sauces are starters here, along with arancini —  trendy fried truffle risotto balls.

Rainbow rolls, crunchy salmon tartar rolls, and spicy tuna rolls are kosher versions of mainstream sushi.

Wagyu beef or lamb burgers are choices, along with a chuck beef rack of barbecued ribs — yes, kosher.

A wine list features a cellar of Herzog wines, kosher certified.

The Meat Market Boca Raton was the first upscale, non-kosher restaurant to loop into the trend of offering a kosher steak on their menu. While known for its hanging tomahawk, a certified kosher, 16-ounce, boneless steak is $85, and cooked according to Jewish dietary laws — meaning prepared with no dairy. Photo provided by Meat Market Boca Raton.

At Oak and Ember, a fine-dining steakhouse at 7600 W. Camino Real, Boca Raton, diners can choose from a glatt kosher menu that includes a pastrami flaked schnitzel, tacos as a summer special, or to go big, a traditional tomahawk.

A number of pizza spots feature kosher pies.

Jon’s Place in Boca Raton, 22191 Powerline Road, has a number of pizzas, all cheese based, with no meats (but anchovies). That avoids the problem of mixing meat and cheese — forbidden in kosher diets.

Lenny’s Pizza, 9070 Kimberly Blvd. in Boca Raton, claims to be the best kosher pizza around. All pies, burgers and salads are vegan or vegetarian.

The ever trendy smashburger is kosher on the menu at Smash House in Boca Raton, 21065 Powerline Road. Listed as the OG smashburger, it features the crispy, juicy, thin patty that’s all the rage. The kosher work-around twist is vegan cheese and beef bacon. Caramelized onions complete it.

Italians aren’t forgotten: Carmela’s, 7300 W. Camino Real in Boca Raton, reimagines American Italian dairy food on its kosher-certified menu.

Although Carmela’schanges dishes seasonally, diners might find Buffalo mozzarella sticks, butter-poached vegetarian “scallops,” a truffle mac ’n’ cheese, or a spinach ravioli with rose sauce.

Vegan dishes are a bonus at many of the kosher places, with nondairy cheese and plant-based proteins sitting in for meats on pizzas or in street foods such as tacos or hot dogs.

Middle Eastern and Mediterranean dishes that have a wider attraction are common in the area, and often are kosher by definition, such as baba ghanoush. But foods such as shawarma and kibbeh can be adapted to the kosher preparations.

Deli fans need not despair — delis still outnumber other kosher restaurants in the area. But pizza and sushi are gaining.

It’s a good time to pursue restaurants that cater to Jewish diners, Chung said, since many new residents have come from New York and New Jersey, where ethnic kosher restaurants are more prevalent.

“We are opening a kosher sushi and Vietnamese restaurant very soon out west,” Chung said. “We expect it will be welcomed.”

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

The Literacy Coalition of Palm Beach County's new slate of officers includes (l-r) Aurora Arthay, Dr. Regine Bataille, Grace Halabi and Sharon Hill, who are pictured with Matthew Criscuolo and Chris Duke. Photo provided

The Literacy Coalition of Palm Beach County has announced its slate of officers for the 2025-26 season.

The executive committee includes:

• Dr. Regine Bataille, president

• Grace Halabi, vice president

• Sharon Hill, vice president

• Aurora Arthay, secretary

• Caleb Bowser, treasurer

Immediate past president is Matthew Criscuolo. 

Parliamentarians are Debra Ghostine, Len Gray and Bernadette O’Grady. Members-at-large include Chris Duke and Laurie Gildan.

For more information, call 561-279-9103 or visit literacypbc.org

Community Foundation names philanthropy chair

The Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties has named Tandy Robinson chairwoman of its Philanthropic Advisory Council.

Robinson, a private wealth adviser, joined the advisory council in 2018. Its network of professionals provides strategic guidance to help the foundation better serve clients. She also is the co-founder and former president of Impact 100 Palm Beach County and a trustee of Boca Helping Hands.

“Our Philanthropic Advisory Council is in exceptional hands with Tandy Robinson stepping into the role of chair,” said Mary Katherine Morales, vice president of philanthropic services at the foundation. “We’re grateful for her leadership and excited to continue expanding our impact alongside her in the community we proudly serve.”

In other news, Mary Pat Alcus and Kristen Bissett were appointed to the foundation board.

“We are thrilled to welcome Mary Pat and Kristen to our board,” said Chairman Jeffrey Stoops, noting that both women have backgrounds in finance.
“Their leadership and deep financial expertise will be invaluable as we continue working to support our neighbors and create lasting change across Palm Beach and Martin counties.”

For more information, call 561-659-6800 or visit yourcommunityfoundation.org/philanthropic-advisory-council

Milagro Center celebrates  Community Art Garden

Milagro Center welcomed 50 enthusiastic guests for the official ribbon cutting and grand reopening of the revitalized Community Art Garden 2.0.

The event was a celebration of community, creativity and collaboration in the heart of the Set, a Delray Beach neighborhood. Barbara Stark, the center’s president and CEO, led the festivities at the transformed outdoor space that features donor bricks, murals and pavers.

“This project is more than an art installation — it’s a movement,” Stark said. “It’s about revitalizing our neighborhood, giving local youth and artists a voice and creating a lasting legacy of creativity and pride.”

For more information, call 561-279-2970, ext. 101 or visit milagrocenter.org

Cereal4All drive benefits Boca Helping Hands

Cereal4All, which runs an annual drive organized by twin brothers Jett and Luke Justin, collected nearly 11,000 pounds of cereal this past spring and donated it to Boca Helping Hands.

That translates into approximately 100,000 bowls of cereal thanks to support from businesses, schools and students.

“We created Cereal4All to fight hunger around America’s breakfast tables because millions of American families suffer from food insecurity, which means they can’t always afford enough meals for everyone in their homes,” Luke Justin said. “Since breakfast food is one of the least-donated items to food banks, pantry bags of meals distributed to families in need are often missing breakfast food.”

Added Jett Justin, “Cereal is about breakfast, but it’s also about happiness, so we were bothered by the reality that millions of families and kids might not have daily access to breakfast and that moment of happiness in their day.”

For more information about Boca Helping Hands, call 561-417-0913 or visit bocahelpinghands.org.

— Amy Woods 

Nonprofits First celebrated the Class of 2025, the fifth in its Advancing Leaders program, by honoring 10 accomplished professionals representing nonprofits from across Palm Beach County. Each person completed an intensive six-month leadership development course designed for professionals in the field of philanthropy who are taking on senior management roles. ‘This program is about more than professional development, it’s about building a community of visionary leaders who are ready to tackle the complex challenges facing our sector,’ said Trudy Crowetz, president and CEO of Nonprofits First. ‘We’re incredibly proud of this year’s graduates and the impact they’re already making within their organizations and the community.’ ABOVE: (l-r) Todd L’Herrou, Carolina Libreros and Jamie-Lyn Richartz. Photo provided

Participants swung into action for HomeSafe and raised $77,000 in proceeds that will go toward helping thousands of children and families and prevent future cases of abuse. ‘By playing here, you are helping to save the lives of vulnerable, deeply traumatized children,’ HomeSafe CEO Matthew Ladika said. ‘Thank you for giving them the hope and healing they deserve.’ ABOVE: (l-r) Logan Shalmi, Patty Larkin, Fern Schmidt, Pete Austin and Phil Procacci. BELOW: Ladika with Dick Damron. Photos provided by Tracey Benson Photography

Recognizing outstanding individuals and community partners whose contributions have supported the Boca Raton Historical Society, the festive event brought together board members, staff, supporters and volunteers to reflect on the 2024-25 season. Among the evening’s highlights was the presentation of the President’s Award to LeAnn Berman, Jesse Cordoba, Rebecca DeMonte, Olivia Hollaus, Lauri Saunders and Dawn Zook. The Outstanding Community Partner Award was presented to Marta Batmasian and Zoe Lanham. ‘This annual gathering is more than a meeting,’ said Mary Csar, the society’s executive director. ‘It’s a celebration of our collective efforts to preserve Boca Raton’s heritage and the extraordinary people who make that possible.’ TOP: (l-r) Denise Alman, Cordoba and Saunders. ABOVE: Csar and Batmasian. Photos provided