By Steve Plunkett

Alderwoman Kathy Gross was reelected without opposition Nov. 28 when qualifying for the March election ended, and Briny Breezes residents will have a choice to make in the mayor’s race.

Ted Gross, the alderwoman’s husband, and Keith Black, who sits on the Planning & Zoning Board, filed papers to run for mayor.

Both also submitted letters of interest in being appointed to the position, which Mayor Gene Adams is leaving effective Dec. 15.

No one filed to run for the seat being vacated by the Town Council’s president, Christina Adams, who like her husband is resigning effective Dec. 15. But Jeffrey Duncan, a son of onetime council President Matt Duncan, sent a letter of interest in being appointed.

Duncan’s parents moved to Briny in the mid-1980s, and his father spent 16 years on the Town Council, from 1991 to 2007, the last eight as its president.

Kathy Gross was first elected to the council in 2018.

The council will meet on Dec. 7, the first Thursday of the month, instead of its customary fourth Thursday, which conflicted with both Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Council members have asked Town Attorney Keith Davis to prepare a resolution for the December meeting asking the county supervisor of elections to hold a second qualifying period the first two weeks of January, in case there were not enough candidates because of the state’s new requirement that municipal office holders disclose their personal finances in detail.

Alderwoman Liz Loper declared at the October meeting that she is staying on the dais. Davis encouraged the other council members to decide as soon as possible if they will stay or quit.

Flowers on the west side of State Road A1A in South Palm Beach memorialize Hatixhe Laiqi, who was killed by a hit-and-run driver on Nov. 10. There were no skid marks or other easily visible evidence that showed an accident had occurred. The condo in the background is the Barclay, where Laiqi lived. Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

By Brian Biggane

The hit-and-run death of a pedestrian on State Road A1A the evening of Nov. 10 and what comes next brought a large crowd to the November meeting of the Town Council in South Palm Beach.

Hatixhe Laiqi, 73 and a resident of the Barclay condominium, was struck crossing A1A just after 6 p.m. by a 2016 GMC Terrain and pronounced dead by first responders shortly afterward.

The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office announced three days later it had recovered the vehicle and identified the driver as a 43-year-old Boynton Beach woman. Charges depended on the outcome of an investigation.

“This is a wake-up call,” council member Robert Gottlieb said. “Other people have been hit and injured in the years before. A1A is not our road. We need to do something because people are scared.”

Mayor Bonnie Fischer recalled a man was killed in 2019 in front of the Imperial House and said there have been several near-misses since on the north-south highway that falls under the jurisdiction of the Florida Department of Transportation.

“It’s such a tiny, little street and a lot of people,” Vice Mayor Bill LeRoy said. “I haven’t come up with anything, nobody has come up with anything. It’s not my job, it’s FDOT’s job. They need to get in here and figure it out.”

Since the only pedestrian walkway alongside the road is located along its west side, Fischer said repeated efforts have been made to build another along the east side. But the town’s homeowners associations would all have to agree to it, making it highly unlikely, if not impossible.

A crosswalk with flashing lights was suggested, but that would be FDOT’s decision. Council member Monte Berendes said residents need to wear light and even reflective clothing and carry flashlights to call attention. The latest fatality occurred around nightfall.

James Donatelli, one of two residents who spoke, suggested that the kind of blue lights on airplanes would create less glare for drivers and that the streetlights could be brighter, though Fischer said they were installed just six years ago.

“A tragedy happened and we don’t want it to happen again,” Fischer said. “This is a very active community that likes to go on walks and I’ve had a lot of complaints from my neighbors. We’re going to try to move forward with some solutions.”

Palmsea fence and gate installation debated — The Town Council meeting in November featured a spirited conversation regarding the approval of a fence and gate installation at 3520 S. Ocean Blvd., on the property of the Palmsea condominium.

Palmsea ultimately received the council’s approval.

Palmsea representative Kevin Hall said sheriff’s and fire departments would have access to the beach through the new gate to address emergencies but that other town residents would not. Residents without access to the beach typically have negotiated through their homeowners associations to pay for beach access through agreements with the beachside condos. Otherwise they must walk or drive to Lantana beach.

Council member Monte Berendes said he doesn’t feel it’s fair that people who don’t have access to the beach are still paying taxes for beach improvements, which he said results in “taxation without representation.”

“It should be that anyone who lives in South Palm Beach should have access,” he said.

Added Vice Mayor Bill LeRoy, “The fact some of these condos are making money off their neighbors is terrible.”

Hall said a phone app now in use tells those with electric bikes they can access the beach through the Palmsea easement, resulting in several calls to the Sheriff’s Office in recent weeks.

“And if (that rider) breaks his neck going through there, that’s our liability,” Hall said. “We just can’t stand the liability.”

Gottlieb opts not to run — Longtime council member Robert Gottlieb, who attended his first meeting in person in November after spending several months up North, has decided not to run for reelection in March. Gottlieb said at the last meeting that he was concerned about having to divulge more of his financial information under Form 6 but had not yet decided. Raymond McMillan, whose four-year term also expires in 2024, has filed to run. The council voted to hold a special qualifying period Jan. 2-7 for people interested in filling the vacancy.

Grant received — Manager Jamie Titcomb reported the town has received the $75,000 grant it requested from the state for a vulnerability assessment study. The town has until 2026 to implement it.

Bids expected for new Town Hall — Town Manager Jamie Titcomb said he is “pretty confident” he will have by the December meeting the minimum of three bids for the council to determine both the owner’s rep and design and build contractor for the new Town Hall project.

— Brian Biggane

By Mary Thurwachter

One by one the last occupants of those cute, colorful — but ramshackle — Key West style cottages on the north side of Lantana’s Ocean Avenue have moved elsewhere.

First, Jeannie’s Ocean Boutique relocated to Plaza del Mar in Manalapan. Then Mario’s moved to Lake Worth Beach. And just last month, the owners of Oceano Kitchen, whose lease was not renewed, took their popular restaurant to Lake Worth Beach.

Other locations on the 200 block have been tenantless since 2004.

Town officials have wanted to amp up business on the avenue for years and have been frustrated with the declining condition of the 12 cottages between Oak Street and Lake Drive.

Last month they reported some progress, and Nicole Dritz, Lantana’s development services director, said: “It is expected the structures will be demolished and redeveloped.”

Mayor Karen Lythgoe found this news encouraging.

“For the first time in years something is finally happening,” she said. “We look forward to entertaining proposals for redevelopment.”

The cottages are owned by Marsha Stocker and Steven Handelsman, who are siblings. They plan to hold on to the land, but may be open to development ideas.

“They have indicated a desire to enter into a land lease, not sale,” Dritz said.

Although no developer has expressed interest yet, Town Manager Brian Raducci, Town Attorney Max Lohman and Dritz have been working with the property owners to find one.

And Lythgoe said she has been talking to residents who have contacts with developers to try to find someone interested.

Stocker and Handelsman inherited the properties after their parents, Burt and Lucille “Lovey’’ Handelsman, died. The Handelsmans once owned a real estate empire worth $550 million, including properties on Worth Avenue in Palm Beach.

But the cottages have fallen into so much disrepair that code violations for the properties have resulted in fines in excess of $833,000 and are growing at $1,000 per day, Dritz said.

Any new development would need to be in line with the town’s new master plan for the C1 Downtown Overlay. The master plan suggests “a balance between preserving existing structures with the greatest architectural and historical character and building new.”

Attempts by The Coastal Star to reach the property owners have been unsuccessful.

By Tao Woolfe

Boynton Beach has named an interim Community Redevelopment Agency director and determined that a permanent CRA director should be sought by seeking bids from executive recruiting firms.

The city could also look into using a familiar public sector recruiting firm such as GovHR USA, City Manager Daniel Dugger said at a Nov. 14 CRA meeting.

An invitation to bid on recruitment services was issued on Nov. 19 and the sealed bids are due by Dec. 18. City commissioners, sitting as the CRA board, agreed unanimously at their Nov. 13 meeting to promote Assistant Director Timothy Tack to interim director.

Tack, who joined the CRA in 2021, is a licensed engineer with more than 18 years’ experience in the public and private sectors. The commissioners agreed to raise his salary by $28,000 to a total of $167,852 while Tack serves as interim director.

Former CRA Director Thuy Shutt was fired from her post by the commission, for largely unspecified reasons, at a tumultuous CRA meeting on Oct. 10.

The three commissioners who initiated the dismissal — Mayor Ty Penserga and commissioners Aimee Kelley and Thomas Turkin — cited only unspecified “communication issues” between Shutt and city employees.

Many members of the public at the October meeting spoke out against the commission’s action and praised Shutt’s award-winning work.

Among them was Mildred Hay, wife of Commissioner Woodrow Hay.

“You do not deserve this,” Mildred Hay said to Shutt. “I pray God blesses you on your trail as you go.”

Status update on The Pierce
The City Commission received a status update on a stalled development — The Pierce — from its newly hired in-house city counsel, Shawna Lamb.

A lawsuit challenging the abandonment of three streets leading into the mixed-use project “is still a problem,” and is pending in Palm Beach County Circuit Court, she told the commissioners at the Nov. 14 CRA meeting.

An adjacent property owner — F. Davis Camalier, of 209 N. Federal Highway — filed suit against Pierce developer Affiliated Development and the city this summer.

Boardwalk Italian Ice & Creamery leases space at that location.

Camalier is claiming that the city improperly abandoned three streets to accommodate Affiliated’s winning bid to build The Pierce, a $100 million mixed retail and commercial development that will contain 300 apartments.

By Tao Woolfe

The city has again given an extension to the developers of a restaurant proposed for the grounds of the historic Oscar Magnuson House — even though the project could cause the house to lose its historic designation.

The 30-day extension for the property at 211 E. Ocean Ave. was unanimously approved during the Nov. 13 meeting of the Boynton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency.

Developer Anthony Barber told city commissioners — sitting as the CRA board — that he and his partner were having trouble financing their restaurant project because of rising costs.

“The cost is not the cost we originally projected,” Barber said. “We have owner financing of $800,000, but the [construction] cost now is looking like $1.2 million.”

Making matters worse, Barber said, the cost of borrowing money has escalated.

“We’ve sought financing from a couple of places. Lending rates are terrible right now,” Barber said. “We need more time to get this going.”

About a year ago, Barber told the commission he wants to redevelop the Magnuson House into a 3,000-square-foot, full-service American-style restaurant consisting of the home and five shipping containers.

The restaurant would be open seven days a week and would be called Pauline’s, Barber said, to honor his grandmother.

The plans originally called for renovating the two-story Magnuson House for inside dining. Before completing that renovation, Barber said he planned to use the shipping containers for the kitchen area, walk-in food storage, restrooms, an artisan bar and a rotisserie grilling area.

In June, the CRA granted the partners a six-month extension to submit a site plan application. Barber has said he submitted two site plans to the city, but they were rejected for being incomplete.

Barber told the CRA board last month that he may have to ask the city to remove the Magnuson House’s historic designation — and its attendant restrictions — to make the project more acceptable to lenders.

“We hope to have something within two weeks,” Barber said, referring to word from lenders.

Barber, who also owns Troy’s Barbeque on Federal Highway south of Woolbright Road, told commissioners last year he has lived in Boynton Beach for 35 years and had always wanted to open a restaurant in his home city’s central downtown area.

During their most recent discussion of the matter, city commissioners seemed willing to give Barber an extension of up to six months, but Mayor Ty Penserga said he preferred giving a 30-day extension and revisiting the matter at that point, if necessary.

His colleagues agreed, as did Barber.

“I don’t want to waste anybody’s time,” Barber said.

The Oscar Magnuson House is a two-story wooden structure which was built around 1919, according to the city’s historic preservation program records. The building retains many of its original external features, including the wood frame double-hung sash windows, wood siding and exposed rafter tails at the eaves. Its big front porch has been removed.

The original owner, Oscar Magnuson, ran a fernery on High Ridge Road — somewhere between Gateway Boulevard and Hypoluxo Road, according to historical records. The ferns were packed in ice and shipped by rail to northern markets. Magnuson also grew and grafted mango and avocado trees.

Although originally designed as a single-family residence, the structure and the site were used as a commercial plant nursery in the 1980s, according to city records.

As envisioned, the restaurant would employ some 30 people, Barber has said. Barber’s partner, Rodney Mayo of the Subculture Group, has said he would provide about $1 million in financial backing. The partners’ development company is known as 306 NE 6th Avenue LLC.

The groundbreaking ceremony for the new station at 651 Linton Blvd. included (l-r) John Scherer of contractor Gulf Building, Delray Beach Public Works Director Missie Barletto, Commissioner Adam Frankel, City Manager Terrence Moore, Commissioner Rob Long, Mayor Shelly Petrolia, Commissioner Ryan Boylston and Fire Chief Keith Tomey. Photo provided

By Christine Davis

Delray Beach officials broke ground on the city’s newest fire station in late October. It will be more than double the size of Station 113, which was demolished on the same site at 651 Linton Blvd. in April.  

At the old station, engines had to back in from Linton. The new station will be a two-story, 15,857-square-foot space with three drive-through bays. It will also have sleeping quarters for 13 people. The station will cost about $11.5 million to build and is scheduled for completion in early 2025, the city said. 

“This is the station that the residents in that area deserve,” Fire Chief Keith Tomey said. “It will be functional, efficient, safe and accessible.” 

***

Fortune Christie’s International Real Estate opened a new office at 101 Plaza Real South, Boca Raton. Marie Mangouta and Adam Elmer of the Worth Group spearheaded its opening on Nov. 1. Ruth Palma is the managing broker. The office has around 20 agents, most of them agents of the Worth Group.

***

El-Ad National Properties is partnering with Plant the Future, a Miami-based art studio that seeks to connect people to their natural environment, for the second phase of Alina Residences in Boca Raton.

Plant the Future’s design is “Flying Over the Everglades,” a series of natural moss murals and installations commissioned by interior designer Garcia Stromberg and El-Ad National Properties. It will include one installation in Alina 210’s two-story lobby, and multiple installations in Alina 220 on the deck level. “Flying Over the Everglades” draws inspiration from organic textures and shapes found in nature.

***

Boca Helping Hands received the 2023 Encore Palm Beach’s Wisdom & Experience business award in Encore’s small nonprofit sector, recognized as being an employer committed to recruiting, retraining and retaining mature workers.

“Sixty-eight percent of our employees are age 50 or older. We are proud to promote an inclusive work culture where the contributions of employees of all ages are celebrated and respected,” said Greg Hazle, executive director of Boca Helping Hands.

***

Florida Atlantic University’s Leon Charney Diplomacy Program was recognized as the best at a competition organized by National Model United Nations for receiving a conference record of nine delegation awards and two position paper awards. The conference was held Nov. 10-12 at the Crystal Gateway Marriott hotel, Washington D.C.

“We are all so proud of our students for putting in weeks of preparation and performing at the highest level,” said Haven Gray, FAU faculty chairperson for the delegation. Three colleges and 94 undergraduate students represented FAU at the competition, which included 65 universities from the Americas, Europe, Asia and Africa.

For more information, go to www.fau.edu/artsandletters/pjhr/diplomacy/.

***

Nonperishable food items are being collected through Dec. 14 at Lang Realty offices from Port St. Lucie to Boca Raton for Lang’s annual fall drive to benefit Move for Hunger. Move for Hunger distributes the food to shelters and food pantries. For a list of collection sites, visit www.langrealty.com/office-locations.php.

***

The new spec home at 4005 S. Ocean Blvd. in Highland Beach sold for $30 million. Photo provided

A new contemporary residence, La Plage Villa at 4005 S. Ocean Blvd., Highland Beach, built for speculation by Sabal Luxury Builder, sold in October for $30 million.  

On a .58-acre lot with 100 feet on the ocean, the four-story, 9,054-square-foot home comprises seven bedrooms, 12 bathrooms, a rooftop deck, theater and five-car garage.

The D’Angelo/Liguori team at Premier Estate Properties represented Sabal Development in the sale, while Nadine Cory of City Real Estate Corp. represented the buyer, 4005 South Ocean Blvd. Land Trust. Sabal originally purchased the property in August 2016 for $4.4 million.

***

George Gann, executive director and chief conservation strategist for the Institute for Regional Conservation, received the Bradshaw Medal 2023 from the Society for Ecological Restoration. Gann and his co-authors were recognized for the best paper published in Restoration Ecology 2022, Volume 3, “Restoration, reclamation, and rehabilitation: on the need for, and proposing a definition of, ecological reclamation.” The institute is based in Delray Beach.

***

Stephen Gaulden, an Allstate insurance agent, received the Business Person of the Year award at the Greater Lantana Chamber of Commerce’s inaugural awards dinner in November at the Carlisle Palm Beach. The Commitment to Community Not-For-Profit award was presented to LaShaundra Highsmith for the Palm Beach County Food Bank.

Alexandra Dupuis, for Ravish Off Ocean restaurant, was presented with the New Business of the Year award. The Emerging Young Professional award went to Kristine Kreidler, director of the Lantana Library. Underground Promos received the Small Business of the Year award.

***

Arts Garage announced its four new board members: Delray Beach residents Robin Greene, Chuck Halberg, Elise Rubenstein and David Crespo. Greene joined the board in June, the others in October. 

***

Concierge Property Solutions LLC, a commercial, residential and association property management company in Boca Raton, named Tricia Schmidt as director of operations. Previously, Schmidt worked with Stiles Property Management, starting as a property manager and rising to general manager overseeing Palm Beach County operations.

***

Michael Rosa is the new general manager of The Seagate Country Club in Delray Beach. Previously, Rosa was GM at Lake Nona Golf & Country Club in Orlando, and at La Gorce CC in Miami Beach.

***

The Seagate Hotel & Spa has launched its Beachside Winter Escape package. Guests who book four-night stays through April 19 will receive a fifth night free. They will also receive two cocktails. When booking, guests must use the promo code “WINTER” to activate discount options. The Seagate is at 1000 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach. For more info, call 561-665-4800 or visit seagatedelray.com.  

***

The League of Women Voters of Palm Beach County hosted 220 guests to its “I Stand With the League” luncheon and awards event in October at Benvenuto’s in Boynton Beach. Highlights included the presentation of the league’s annual Maverick & Heroes Award to Wendy Sartory Link, Palm Beach County supervisor of elections, along with memorial tributes to Nancy Cohen and Corinne Miller.

***

A Florida Atlantic University survey recently found that Floridians appear to be more convinced that climate change is happening and want government action, compared with Americans in other parts of the United States. For example, the latest edition of the university’s Florida Climate Resilience Survey found that 90% of Florida respondents believe climate change is happening. That compares with 74% of Americans as a whole as shown in a recent Yale University survey.

“Floridians might be more likely to believe climate change is happening due to their experiences with hurricanes and other extreme weather,” said Colin Polsky, Ph.D., founding director of FAU’s School of Environmental, Coastal, and Ocean Sustainability. 

The survey found that newer Florida residents exhibit higher levels of belief in human-caused climate change than people who have lived in Florida longer than five years. Polsky believes these trends might explain the state’s investment in recent years of more than $1 billion in climate adaptation projects. 

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

Holiday boat parades will entertain crowds from Boynton Beach and Delray Beach on Dec. 8 and Boca Raton on Dec. 16. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

Community activities to ignite the holiday spirit

By Mary Thurwachter

Haven’t leaned into the ho-ho-ho state of mind yet? Here are some activities that can spark your interest in the most wonderful time of the year. From boat parades to tuba concerts to a living Nativity program, coastal residents looking to welcome the holiday season have many options.

On Dec. 14, take a look back in time with classic stories provided at Cason Cottage by elves from the Delray Beach Historical Society. Photo provided

Christmas at Cason Cottage
Back for the seventh year, Christmas at Cason Cottage invites visitors to gather ’round the Christmas tree inside its historic 1926 bungalow and listen to a classic story read by one of the Delray Beach Historical Society’s popular elves.

“The campus and gardens will be decorated for the holidays so visitors can wander the garden paths and enjoy the beauty,” says Winnie Diggans Edwards, executive director of the historical society.

Event begins at 6 p.m. Dec. 14 at 3 NE First St., Delray Beach. $5 admission. www.delraybeachhistory.org/events/christmas-at-cason-cottage/

Boat parades
A jolly, hand-waving Santa will be on board for local boat parades, long-standing waterway events not to be missed. Boats large and small will be adorned with twinkling lights and other festive décor.

Boynton Beach’s Holiday Boat Parade starts at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 8, forming at the Ocean Avenue bridge in Lantana near Old Key Lime House and traveling south to the C-15 Canal in Delray Beach (south of Linton Boulevard).

The parade partners with the Marine Industries Association and Sea Tow to collect new, unwrapped toys for Toys for Tots. Boats traveling with the parade will stop at individual docks along the route to collect toys. Just wave a flashlight and a boat will come directly to you for pickup. 

Visit www.boyntonbeachcra.com/business-promotions-events/business-promotional-events/holiday-boat-parade for more details.

Boca Raton’s annual Holiday Boat Parade lights up the Intracoastal Waterway beginning at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 16 at the C-15 Canal, traveling south to the Hillsboro Boulevard bridge. Visit www.myboca.us/1464/Holiday-Boat-Parade

The 100-foot-tall Christmas tree in Delray Beach. Photo provided

Christmas trees
The holidays wouldn’t be complete without a visit to one of the magnificent municipal Christmas trees in our neck of the woods. Among the most stunning is the 100-foot sparkler at Old School Square in Delray Beach. This year marks the tree’s 30th anniversary.

While you’re there, stick around to enjoy musical performances, culinary creations, crafts and holiday village with carousel, ice skating and mini golf. Hours, which continue through the end of the year, vary. See www.delraybeachfl.gov/our-city/things-to-do/100-ft-christmas-tree for details.

In Boca Raton, the Christmas tree is in Mizner Park, which has been transformed into a holiday wonderland with 50,000 LED lights decorating 75 palm trees throughout the park.

Visit www.myboca.us/1466/Holiday-Tree-Lighting for details.

Boynton Beach’s trees can be found at Centennial Park and Amphitheater. Two banyan trees on East Ocean Avenue have trunks and branches wrapped with 25,000 LED mini lights, and a kapok tree on East Ocean and Seacrest Boulevard has its trunks and branches wrapped with 20,000 LED lights.

A 30-foot custom lighted holiday tree can be seen at Centennial Park just east of City Hall. Gracing each side of the holiday tree are a menorah and a kinara display. See www.boynton-beach.org/Calendar.aspx?EID=636

The children’s Living Nativity scene, here from 2018, at St. Joseph’s Episcopal Church in Boynton Beach. Photo provided

Living Nativity
A favorite holiday event at St. Joseph’s Episcopal Church in Boynton Beach, the Living Nativity uses costumed actors to bring the story of the birth of Jesus to life. In this case the actors are children, who couldn’t be more earnest and adorable. Considering the pandemic, the program was held outdoors in past years, but it’s back in the church again.

Called the Spontaneous Christmas Pageant, the show starts at 4 p.m. on Christmas Eve, Dec. 24. “Cast members are chosen, dressed and placed in position for our Christmas tableau as we tell the Nativity story, with periodic breaks for Christmas carols and dressing the characters in costume,” says the Rev. Marty Zlatic, whose wife, Dee Zlatic, is the children’s minister coordinating the event.

“We also have the 6:30 p.m. contemporary service on Christmas Eve with our Live Hymnal Band,” he says. “Then our choir and organ, supplemented with brass instruments and timpani, provides a mini concert at 9:30 p.m. followed by our midnight- like service at 10 p.m.”

All three of these services include the lighting of candles and singing of Silent Night.

On Christmas Day, the church has a service with congregational carol singing beginning at 9:30 a.m.  

Visit www.stjoesweb.org

Tuba carols
Let’s hear it for tuba players, those big brass stars who gather throughout the world each year to oompah-pah their way through Christmas carols via the organization Tuba Christmas. The musicians, some of whom perform Dec. 3 in Mizner Park, make no apologies for tooting loudly. Many wrap their instruments in tinsel and battery-powered Christmas lights.

The Mizner Park players are volunteers brought together by Marc Decker, director of athletic bands at Florida Atlantic University. “It’s always quite fun,” Decker says.
Bring chairs and blankets and be prepared to sing along. Concert begins at 5 p.m. at Mizner Park Amphitheater in Boca Raton. Free. www.fau.edu/artsandletters/music/events/tubachristmas/

Street parades
Old-fashioned street parades remain part of local holiday traditions. In these cases, Santa rides on a float instead of a boat.

Boynton Beach’s parade takes place 4-6 p.m. Dec. 2. Attendees will see a spectacular parade with eye-catching entertainment, award-winning marching bands, local schools and community organizations. The route extends from downtown on Federal Highway between Boynton Beach Boulevard and Woolbright Road.

Visit www.boynton-beach.org/Calendar.aspxEID=1164&month=12&year=2023&day=2&calType=0 for details.

Boca Raton’s parade, with floats, bands and community groups, will be 7-9 p.m. Dec. 6 starting on Federal Highway at Southeast Fifth Street and traveling north to the Mizner Park Amphitheater. Visit www.myboca.us/1465/Holiday-Street-Parade

Menorah lighting at Old School Square in Delray Beach. Photo provided

Menorah lighting
To mark Hanukkah, the Jewish festival commemorating the recovery of Jerusalem and subsequent rededication of the Second Temple at the beginning of the Maccabean Revolt against the Seleucid Empire in the 2nd century, Delray Beach is hosting a festival and menorah lighting 5-7 p.m. Dec. 7 at Old School Square. The free festival will feature live music, game trucks, holiday snacks and crafts.

Posing for photos with Santa at Town Center in Boca Raton. Photo provided

Photos with Santa
In years past, going to the mall to have your children’s pictures taken with Santa was something everyone did. But malls aren’t what they used to be — and there aren’t as many malls. Town Center in Boca Raton touts a “Santa Experience.” You can still go see Santa for free, but the mall is promoting reservations that (for a fee) allow families more time (15 minutes) with Jolly Ol’ St. Nick, a professional photo, story time and a personal phone call from Santa. Arrangements can be made to have Santa photographed with pets, too.

Visit www.whereissanta.com/mall/0376

Handel’s Messiah
Let’s hear a “Hallelujah” for the Masterworks Chorus of the Palm Beaches, an all-volunteer 60-voice chorus bringing Handel’s Messiah to the Royal Poinciana Chapel at 7 p.m. Dec. 10. The three-hour performance has become a yuletide staple and definitely warrants a drive to Palm Beach. General admission is $35.

Visit www.masterworkspb.org/calendar-tickets

’A Christmas Carol’
If you’re lucky enough to score tickets, you can see actor Timur Kocak playing every role in A Christmas Carol, a one-man version of Charles Dickens’ holiday classic, at the Delray Beach Playhouse. Tickets to the show, which begins at 12:30 p.m. Dec. 15, are $49 and include lunch.

Visit https://delraybeachplayhouse.com/shows-by-month/

John and Diane Brewer, Empty Bowls Delray Beach event chairs. Photo provided

By Amy Woods

More than 130,000 local households experience food insecurity — not knowing where one’s next meal or meals will be sourced — according to the Palm Beach County Food Bank.

The large nonprofit that distributes 13 million pounds of food to the needy each year serves not only those 130,000-plus but also 70,000 additional neighbors facing hunger.

“Palm Beach County is one of the richest counties in the nation, and at the same time we have this food disparity,” said John Brewer, event chairman of Empty Bowls Delray Beach, a fundraiser for the food bank. “The main thing is to get more people aware and more people involved and to understand that this is a problem in our backyard.”

Set for Dec. 9, Empty Bowls Delray Beach invites attendees to enjoy a wide variety of soups from area restaurants, freshly made breads from Old School Bakery and bottled waters. The theme of the three-hour affair is to “eat simply so others may simply eat.”

“It’s a great day of friendship and fellowship for a good cause,” Brewer said. “If everybody gives a little bit, it really can make an impact.”

In its eighth year, Empty Bowls Delray Beach will take place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Trinity Delray. Handcrafted bowls will be available for purchase, and music and entertainment will take place as aproned volunteers ladle out the hot stuff for guests.

“It’s such an amazing event and a way to bring the community together,” said Diane Brewer, John Brewer’s wife and event chairwoman. “Unfortunately, with inflation and everything else that is going on — I even balk at some of the prices at Publix when I go shopping — I can’t imagine what it’s like to feed a house full of kids on a limited income.”

The Palm Beach County Food Bank houses food in a 28,000-square-foot building in Lake Worth Beach. The distributions are made possible by nearly 200 partner agencies. Food pantries, soup kitchens and housing programs work to connect families and the elderly population with products procured from farmers, stores and wholesalers that include culturally appropriate food.

Jamie Kendall, the food bank’s CEO, explains the last bit: “It means serving a variety of neighbors from many different backgrounds and ethnicities and holding space for the cultural practices around the preparation and consumption of the food.”

As Hanukkah and Christmas approach, the issue of food insecurity becomes that much more apparent, Kendall said.

“The holiday season can come with stress for a lot of families,” she said. “It’s up to us and Empty Bowls participants to ensure they have a holiday meal to put on the table and that they are nourished going into the new year.”

If You Go
What: Empty Bowls Delray Beach
When: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 9
Where: Trinity Delray, 400 N. Swinton Ave.
Cost: $35
Information: 561-670-2518 or pbcfoodbank.org

Special Olympian Margie-Lee Rodriguez created a collection of Holiday Joy cards. Photo provided

The Arc of Palm Beach County is offering a creative collection of handmade holiday greeting cards crafted by its talented clients.

Proceeds from sales of the cards support their makers through an earned commission with every purchase.

“The Arc is spreading holiday cheer through personalized art that also gives back to our gifted clients,” CEO Pamela Payne said. “Our artisan program brings people with disabilities together to create unique artwork throughout the year, including mosaics, acrylic paintings and mixed-media pieces.”

The Artisan Program this year features Margie-Lee Rodriguez, a Special Olympics gold medalist. Margie-Lee designed her Holiday Joy collection in her signature folk art style of painting, including vibrant motifs and custom stencil designs.

To buy cards, visit The Arc Shop at arcpbc.org/artisans. For more information, call 561-842-3213.

Arts Garage, Impact 100 get drums to student band
In 2014, Impact 100 Palm Beach County awarded a $100,000 grant to Arts Garage in part to develop a dynamic youth drumline.

For six years, the audience-rousing percussionists went through multiple iterations at the Delray Beach theater prior to the coronavirus shutdown.

Now, Arts Garage is partnering with the philanthropic group to get some more noise out of the dormant program.

“After locating the drums this past summer, I contacted JoAnne Greiser, grants management adviser at Impact 100 Palm Beach County, to which ownership of the drums had reverted, to discuss what to do with the valuable instruments,” said Marjorie Waldo, Arts Garage’s president and CEO.

“After they were inspected … we collectively decided to donate the 18 drums and uniforms to the Boynton Beach High School Band.”

Waldo added, “Receiving the original $100,000 grant from Impact 100 Palm Beach County was a real blessing, and we are very pleased that together we can keep the generous drumbeat going strong in the years to come.”

For information about Arts Garage, call 561-450-6357 or visit artsgarage.org. For information about Impact 100, call 561-336-4623 or visit impact100pbc.org.

Boca Helping Hands appoints board member
Dr. Sarah Lochner, a nearly decade-long volunteer at Boca Helping Hands, has joined its board of directors.

Lochner has worked closely with the agency’s job training department, identifying companies that align with its mission for potential partnerships. She also has scouted employers that can offer job placement for clients and prepare them to meet industry requirements.

“We are delighted to have Dr. Lochner join the board of directors,” said Greg Hazle, Boca Helping Hands executive director. “She has been such an outstanding volunteer with our organization for years and has made such a difference for our clients. Her knowledge and talent will be an asset to the board.”

For more information, call 561-417-0913 or visit bocahelpinghands.org.

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

The performing arts center organized a welcome-back party for its board members, life trustees and committee volunteers to kick off the 2023-24 season. More than 100 gathered in Dreyfoos Hall for cocktails and passed hors d’oeuvres. CEO Diane Quinn welcomed guests and acknowledged reception sponsors Mitchell Rubenstein and Laurie Silvers. ‘Tonight, it is my honor and privilege to thank each of you for your commitment to the center,’ Quinn says. ‘Through your time, talents and your treasures, we are able to welcome more than 300,000 audience members through our doors. You make this possible.’ ABOVE: (l-r) Jim Coleman with Katherine and Gary Parr. Photo provided by Capehart

The Junior League of Boca Raton honored Lee Williams, of 211 Palm Beach and Treasure Coast, as the 2023 Woman Volunteer of the Year. The Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Betsy Owen, of the Rotary Club of Delray Beach. ‘Lee Williams and Betsy Owen are an inspiration to our community,' says Meghan Shea, league president. ‘We are so grateful to the support of our community in recognizing women volunteers.’ ABOVE: (l-r) Mark Larkin, Shea, Williams, Owen, event Chairwoman Nancy Dockerty and Mayor Scott Singer. Photo provided

The Boca Raton Airport Authority has partnered with FAU to honor the brave men and women who serve the country and the community through the Hometown Heroes initiative. One such man is Florida Highway Patrol Sgt. J.R. Wigfall, who was recognized on the football field during homecoming. ‘As we celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Boca Raton Airport, we take great pride in honoring Sgt. Wigfall as a Hometown Hero,’ says Clara Bennett, executive director of the BRAA. ‘We thank him for his hard work and the sacrifices he has made to help our community soar.’ ABOVE: (l-r) BRAA Vice Chairman Randy Nobles, board member James Nau, Bennett, Chairman Robert Tucker, FHP Lt. Indiana Miranda, Wigfall and BRAA officials Scott Kohut, Robert Abbott, Florence Straugh, Hannah Oakland and Melvin Pollack. Photo provided

The celebration of city visionaries and black-tie dinner dance honored the Boca Raton Airport Authority with the 2023 George Long Award. ‘We are immensely proud to have been honored at this year’s Boca Raton Mayors Ball,’ BRAA Executive Director Clara Bennett says. ‘We have been fortunate to be part of the community for the past 75 years and look forward to soaring to new heights in the future.’ The Faulk Center for Counseling and philanthropist Marta Batmasian also were honored. ABOVE: (l-r) Bennett with Batmasian and the Faulk Center’s Gwenesia Collins and Jonathan Price. Photo provided

A new initiative launched by Lois Pope in conjunction with the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute provides free vision screenings and eyeglasses for children ages 2 and older from schools and youth organizations in Palm Beach County. ‘My mother suffered terribly for years from macular degeneration,’ Pope says. ‘I saw firsthand how vision impairment affected her physical and emotional well-being. Can you imagine what it does to a child? ... They may feel stupid because they can’t see and read. No child should ever have any barrier to learning.’ ABOVE: Pope with Bascom Director Dr. Eduardo Alfonso. Photo provided by Capehart

The Witches of Delray’s Halloween event raised $33,000 for the Achievement Centers for Children & Families. Taking flight on a new seaside route, the 12th annual spectacle unfolded on A1A and was highlighted by an awards presentation for the best costume (Brandy Lee), the best witch cackle (Luba Fry), the best decorated broom (Dr. Francesca Lewis) and the best group theme (Living the Dream Witches). More than 400 witches participated. ABOVE: (l-r) Dr. Diana Carrau, Lewis and Marisa Randazzo. Photo provided

The Jed Foundation’s fourth annual affair raised $200,000 to benefit mental health and suicide prevention programs for area students. Nearly 200 guests attended the special event, including celebrities, educators and mental health advocates such as former Miami Dolphins player Rob Konrad, who served as emcee. The foundation honored youth ambassador Adison Schwartz and insurance brokerage and benefits consultant NFP Corp. with leadership awards. ABOVE: NFP Chairman and CEO Doug Hammond and Konrad. INSET: Dr. Elvis Grandic with Florida Gala Chairwoman Alissa Sklaver Rabin. Photos provided

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County’s fifth annual fundraiser had a record-breaking year, bringing in more than $374,000 to help the nonprofit’s hunger relief initiatives at its Boca Raton location. ‘It was an incredible night of giving and support from so many within our community who truly care about the Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County,’ Chairwoman Michelle Hagerty says. ‘The attendees were moved by the emotional stories from the Boys & Girls Clubs alumni, and it showed with the record-breaking donations we received.’
ABOVE: Michelle and Michael Hagerty
INSET: Matt Liebman and Michael Passeroff
Photos provided by Colby Kessler

House-made chicken gyoza, Nanban chicken and spicy cauliflower highlight the menu at Ramen Lab during one variation of the Craft Food Tours in Delray Beach. BELOLW RIGHT: Anthony Guzman and Matt Guidice, the company's co-founders. Photos provided

By Jan Norris

Choosing that great gift can be a conundrum. For a food lover, it might be easier if you consider a few experiences.

Try a cooking class that benefits a top hunger-relief organization in South Florida. Feeding South Florida is offering cooking classes at its warehouse kitchen in Boynton Beach.

Choose from two classes stretching into next year: Beef (Beet) Wellington class, where students learn to prepare a cranberry feta dip with pistachios as an appetizer, then a beef Wellington (or the beet version for vegetarians) as an entree for a holiday meal; or the Homemade Pasta class, where participants make pasta dough, then roll and cut it by hand into fettuccini noodles. It will be paired with a pistachio pesto sauce.

The instructor is Susan Taves, director of culinary services for Feeding South Florida.

The Beef Wellington class is 6:30-7:30 p.m. Dec. 12. The Homemade Pasta class is 6:30-7:30 p.m. Jan. 17.

Participants must be at least 18 years old, and cost for each class is $60. A portion of the money supports FSF’s programs to end hunger in South Florida.

Classes are at the Feeding South Florida Community Kitchen, Palm Beach County Warehouse, 4925 Park Ridge Blvd., Boynton Beach. To sign up, go to feedingsouthflorida.org/events/

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Sur La Table offers cooking classes in its Mizner Park store for adults and kids. The cooking equipment retailer has group lessons throughout the year.

Upcoming for the holidays are classes on Holiday Paella (Dec. 5); Family Fun: Baking Together (Dec. 7); Build and Take: Bouche de Noel (Dec. 10), and Holiday Entertaining: Hors D’Oeuvres (Dec. 19).

A gift-and-class idea? Buy a chef’s knife from the store, and take a class in knife skills (Dec. 9). Date night classes for couples include An Evening in Thailand (Dec. 7).

For a full schedule and prices, click on the calendar of classes for Boca Raton at surlatable.com/in-store-cooking-classes/ or call 561-953-7638.

Eat, walk, learn
Maybe there’s a newcomer to South Florida on your list. Consider giving a food/history tour.

Through Craft Food Tours, you have choice of a food and drinks tour or a dinner and drinks tour. Discover some off-the-beaten-path eateries on the lunchtime three-hour walk around Delray Beach's Pineapple Grove area, about a mile in all.

It kicks off at El Camino restaurant, and the group visits places offering Mexican, Asian and other street foods. Any age is welcome. A history of the “Village by the Sea” that’s become the “Most Fun Small Town in America” is given in the walk-along lecture.

The Night Out in Delray Dinner and Drinks tour provides samples of eight foods and four craft beverages, with demos along the way. It’s approximately a 1-mile stroll along Atlantic Avenue, rain or shine. Your meet-up restaurant is given on the ticket.

Tours are unique, with restaurant visits rotating based on availability. Dietary restrictions or allergies can usually be accommodated; post them on the registration form. Groups are limited to 14 people, ages 13 and older, though private tours and corporate events are available.

Cost is $99 per person, and gift cards never expire.

For more information, go to craftfoodtours.com and click on the tours drop-down.

Eat, drink and be merry
If a food gift is on your list, several specialty shops have unique items for the holidays.

Palm Beach Bakery & Café in Lantana bakes up Finnish and Scandinavian traditional foods for the holidays. One of our favorites is the cardamom, raisin and almond loaf.

But other traditional foods are available, popular among Scandinavian friends, including rye breads, Danish pastries and the runeberg torte — a rum and almond torte with a ring of raspberry atop. The Karelian rice pies also are favorites (served with egg butter) and hard to find.

A number of imported foods are available, too.

The café is at 206 E. Ocean Ave., Lantana. 561-585-0222 or palmbeachbakeryandcafe.com

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Find solid chocolate Santas, cats, dogs, sea shells, and our favorites — little alligators — hand-dipped at Scheurer’s Chocolate in Boynton Beach. These make fun stocking stuffers.

For host gifts, check out a box of mini Yule logs made from chocolate-coated marshmallows. A number of petit cups, and mixed boxes of caramels or creams, satisfy the chocolate-lover’s list.

Other sweet specialties such as licorice, jelly beans, chocolate mocha beans and hard candies are available at the shop, though not made on site.

A Boynton Beach chocolatier for 40 years, Scheurer’s Chocolate is at 640 E. Ocean Ave. 561-649-4412 or scheurerschocolate.com

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Two Fat Cookies has all the baked sweets you desire: cookies, brownies, cupcakes, cakes and mini desserts for parties.

Try the raspberry molten: a flourless chocolate truffle topped with a fresh raspberry and white chocolate drizzle. Did we mention it’s gluten-free?

Serious cookies are here: The chip monster is a chocolate chip walnut cookie sandwich filled with chocolate ganache. The dirty cookie is a shortbread base with eggless cookie dough, salted caramel and ganache topping.

Mini cheesecakes and Key lime tartlets, strawberry mousse cups and Boston cream tarts are among the one-bite wonders. Cake pops and rice krispy treats make for easy party goods.

But create your own flavors. The store will take on custom orders if it can make them.

As with all bakeries and specialty shops at the holidays, order well in advance.

Two Fat Cookies is at 32 SE Second Ave., Delray Beach. 561-265-5350 or twofatcookies.com.

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Stone crab claws are that perfect Florida seafood at the holidays.

Captain Clay and Sons Seafood Market gets fresh loads from the Keys in season.

Look also for Atlantic seafood such as triggerfish and others you don’t find at many seafood counters, along with Florida lobsters, snappers and the sweet lionfish.

Captain Clay and Sons is at 1319 N. Federal Highway, Delray Beach. 561-266-2068 or captainclaysseafood.com

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Need caviar, or maybe all the seven fishes for your Italian seven-fish dinner?

Hit up Capt. Frank’s Seafood Market, where scallops, shrimp, mussels, clams, octopus, fish fillets and all things seafood can be found. (Order ahead!)

King crab legs and stone crab claws are ready to eat; just fix a sauce and you have a ready-made appetizer for a pot luck. Sushi is made fresh daily, making it great for a casual party take-along.

Also available for gifting: wines, including champagnes, and prepared food items including Stonewall Kitchen’s famous jams and dips.

Capt. Frank’s Seafood Market is at 435 W. Boynton Beach Blvd., Boynton Beach. 561-732-3663.

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Hot buttered rum and traditional punches such as the Tom and Jerry are trending this year.

Ingredients for your drinks and some mixology advice are available at the Wine Room Kitchen and Bar, where you can taste any number of wines before buying full bottles.

The servers are knowledgeable, and the chef knows pairings as well.

You also can put together a charcuterie board from the selections of cheeses and meats, or buy one already made for takeout.

The Wine Room Kitchen and Bar is at 411 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach. 561-243-9463 or thewineroomonline.com/delray-beach.

And for people who can’t decide, or the procrastinators, call your favorite restaurant or market and order a gift certificate. Make it generous enough to cover two meals — nobody likes to dine alone.

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

Milo Manheim and Fiona Palomo as Joseph and Mary in Journey to Bethlehem. Affirm Films photo

By Janis Fontaine

The film Journey to Bethlehem, a musical retelling of the Nativity story, begins with a disclaimer: “Inspired by a true story — the greatest story ever told.”

Director Adam Anders’ goal was to make a family movie that tells the story of the birth of Jesus and competes with the best Christmas movies.

By filling the film with catchy pop songs and comedy gags (and a devoted donkey named Fig), the movie strays a bit from biblical accuracy, but the writers were careful not to abuse their poetic license. Their carefully diluted version makes an otherwise terrifying story of Roman soldiers killing newborns and teenage fugitives on the run palatable enough for a PG rating but engaging enough to appeal to adults.

Nearly 20 years ago, Anders realized that a void existed in Christmas movie fare. A musical not centered around Santa was missing from the genre. Then five years ago, producer

Alan Powell and Monarch Media came on board.

Powell and Anders had Glee in common and both were deeply Christian. Powell — who has a degree from bible college and was founder of the successful pop-Christian band Anthem Lights — says, “I believed in Adam, and I believed in the story, so I poured gasoline on it.”

Film companies hesitated, largely for financial reasons. Was it good business to make a movie about the Nativity? How much profit could they really expect to make on a Christian musical? But Powell, who says real magic happens when music and film come together, kept pushing until Sony Entertainment’s Affirm Films bit.

Powell says making a musical is about finding a balance of song and story. The rule, Powell says, “is that a character only sings when words can no longer do justice.”

Anders’ gift is his ability to slide the song into the dialogue so organically that you almost don’t notice the actors have started singing.

The soundtrack features 12 original songs written by Anders with his singer/songwriter wife, Nikki Anders, and songwriter/music producer Peer Astrom (High School Musical).

For Anders and his wife, whose first date was writing a song together, the release of the film is the fulfillment of a dream — a deeply personal undertaking where they felt God’s hand on theirs. Consider this: Anders was in Spain preparing to shoot the movie and they had not cast Mary. At 2 a.m. one day, Powell’s phone rang. Anders had found her: Fiona Palomo, a relative newcomer, is a Mexican-born actress who had appeared on the teen drama Outer Banks in 2023. “She never even had a callback,” Powell said.

Some would say she was a godsend.

“Our goal was to show these characters with some meat on their bones,” Powell said. And by flushing out the shadowy figures behind a well-known story — like Joseph, whom Milo Manheim portrays with such tender authenticity — the filmmakers illuminated the story in a new way. A touching moment comes when Mary tells Joseph that she was not the only person chosen for this. From that moment, his devotion and support and his love for Mary animate his every move.

The songs stand alone as lovely, lively, fun and even a little scary, and fans of Glee will surely recognize Anders’ signature on the musical. This is a film made by musicians in search of another way to tell the world about their love for Jesus Christ. The vocals are outstanding, even from the cast’s non-singer, A-list star Antonio Banderas.

What others are saying
The Christian Film Review said, “This is a must-see film and is not to be missed. Full of joy, hope and truth, it has to be one of the best and most epic Christmas movies of all time.”

But the National Catholic Register wasn’t so positive. Its criticisms of the film point mostly to the missing elements, like Mary’s fiat: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38).

But in the film Mary is more conflicted: What will people think? Will this bring shame upon my family? Completely understandable reactions. But as Catholics revere Mary, the Blessed Mother, only the most pure and chaste of Marys would do. So the more the writers tried to humanize her, giving her real doubts and fears, the less Catholics were going to like it.

They asked, “Where is her Magnificat? If ever there was a place in a musical version of the Nativity story for a major song, this is it,” the National Catholic Register aid.

But Mary sings the ballad, “Mother to a Savior and King,” where she asks, “How can I carry your son when I need you to carry me?” and “Should a miracle feel like an anchor?”

It’s not very Catholic, but it’s very real and reminds us how brave Mary was.

Other critics called out Banderas’ acting as the evil Herod, saying he got too much screen time and that the lyrics of his song, “It’s Good to Be King,” could be seen to “dangerously border on the blasphemous.” And many audience members were confused by the appearance of Antipater, Herod’s first son, who isn’t part of any of the scriptures and is not the same Antipater Christians do know as the executioner of John the Baptist.

Grammy winner Joel Smallbone, who records and tours with his brother Luke as the Christian pop duo For King & Country, portrays Antipater Herod. Lecrae, a Christian rapper/hip-hop artist who won a Grammy Award in 2013 for Best Gospel Album, the first time that a hip-hop artist won, portrays a stunning Angel Gabriel.

Last word from producer
A diverse village of people brought this carefully crafted film to the screen, a concerted team effort, and one Powell is proud of. The married father of six said, “My hope was we’d make a family movie that people will watch together and laugh and sing and dance along to. I think the timing is right for this movie.

“But then, there’s never a wrong time to spread a message of love.”

Journey to Bethlehem is rated PG. It was filmed in and around the coast of Spain. Its runtime is 1 hour, 38 minutes. It’s in theaters now.  

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

Pastor’s review of movie
By Andrew Hagen

As a committed Christian and pastor, I never tire of the story of the birth of Jesus. Our faith community believes that God saw the darkness of our lives and sent his son as a savior.

The mode of his arrival as a baby born to a poor family in a backwater village only reinforces the power of his identification with our lives and experiences.

Journey to Bethlehem succeeds when it reinforces that message and fails when it distracts from it.

It succeeds in showing us a young girl confused and apprehensive about being the mother of the long-awaited savior. It succeeds when it reminds us that her fiancé, Joseph, could have condemned her to stoning for the unexpected pregnancy. It succeeds when it portrays a king so evil that ordering the murder of mothers and babies is no great matter to him.

And it succeeds in reminding us of the lowly circumstances and location of Jesus’ birth.

Sadly, it fails when it makes Mary and Joseph’s romance far more important than the child they are bringing into the world. It fails when the three Wise Men are turned into the Three Stooges as comic relief. It fails when it inserts a strange “daddy issues” turn for Herod Antipater (although he did later plot to kill his dad). And it fails when the holy family heads off to Egypt as happy travelers rather than hunted refugees. And I really missed the shepherds.

Journey to Bethlehem is a good family outing to be followed up with reading the actual story and heading to church on Christmas Eve.

It is so much better than all the holiday movies that deliver Christmas without the Christ. For those who barely know the story, it may make them curious to make their own “journey to Bethlehem”: where a baby and good news await.

Andrew Hagen is senior pastor of Advent Ministries in Boca Raton.