Force also trained on handgun conversions

By Steve Plunkett

Gulf Stream’s police force is eagerly waiting for free software and hardware to arrive to check for security weaknesses at the Gulf Stream School.

Police Chief Richard Jones applied for the school safety grant from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and “it appears, based on the grant award, that we were the first agency in Florida to be awarded the grant.”

Officer Vincentina Nowicki was handed the new assignment and has already been trained to conduct security risk assessments and use the new computerized program.

The state money, Jones said, will also let his department build an operational plan “that is relevant to how the school would respond in a critical incident in conjunction with the Police Department.”

Mayor Scott Morgan was happy to hear of the grant, whose amount was not released. “Good job, Chief. I think the school and particularly the parents will be very pleased to hear that,” he said.

Jones had already advised Head of School Gray Smith that the security grant money was on the way.

“We are going to talk more about how we work together to continue making it a safer and better environment for our students as well as the community,” Jones said.

FBI offers tips
The grant is another step in a growing partnership between the Gulf Stream School and the Police Department.

In mid-July the school gave Jones meeting space for an FBI specialist to give officers from the town, Ocean Ridge and five more agencies tips on how to recognize handguns that had been converted to much deadlier automatic weapons.

Jones had learned about the alterations weeks before as one of 70 law enforcement officers invited to an FBI-hosted conference “to see things that we might not be aware of.” He was shocked to learn that bad guys can buy a 3D printer online, download plans from the internet and make a pistol that will last for a few shots.

What’s worse, they can use the same process to manufacture a small, snap-in part that turns a revolver into an automatic weapon. Just possessing that part is a federal crime, Jones said. Hence the need for local officers to be able to recognize the part when they make a traffic stop.

This year has seen a number of gun seizures in Gulf Stream, with four unsecured weapons confiscated from vehicles on State Road A1A in the three-month span from April 8 to July 3. The guns were observed “in plain view” on a center console and a passenger-side floorboard, as well as under the driver seat and in a satchel in the backseat.

Ocean Ridge Police Chief Scott McClure, who sent six officers to the ATF seminar, called the existence of 3D-converted automatic handguns “very scary.” His department seized three unconverted weapons in 2024, two last year and six in 2022.

Other attendees were from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Florida Atlantic University police, Atlantis, Palm Beach Gardens and Lake Clarke Shores. 

Police captain promoted
Gulf Stream Police Capt. John Haseley, who joined the department in 1992, was promoted to deputy chief as of Oct. 1, swapping the two gold bars on his shirt collar for two gold stars. His badge has been updated to show the new rank.

His salary was not changed because of the promotion, but he received the same 4% cost-of-living-adjustment as other officers. Haseley now makes $150,780 a year, while Chief Jones receives $152,100.

Rank-and-file officers were given a $4,000 salary bump in addition to the COLA.

After Hurricane Milton exited Florida late Oct. 10, it left behind optimal surf conditions south of the Boca Raton Inlet. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

Related: Carlisle and Eau open doors to Tampa evacuees from storm; Briny Breezes: County orders evacuation of manufactured and mobile homes as hurricane approaches

By Rich Pollack

With Hurricane Milton still several hours away, the small group of Briny Breezes residents who stayed home despite being urged to evacuate weren’t about to let expected tropical force winds stand in the way of the regular afternoon social hour.

“A bunch of us went down and watched the ocean and talked a bit” on the porch of the oceanfront clubhouse, said Briny Breezes Mayor Ted Gross. “Everyone was prepared.”

The town, like most of the other coastal communities in south Palm Beach County, saw little or no impact from Hurricane Milton, which made landfall later that day, Oct. 9 near Sarasota.

“We prepared for the worst and the best happened,” said Gross, who along with several other residents of the mostly mobile home community hunkered down despite a county evacuation order.

“We have a decent amount of communication with one another,” Gross said, adding that he and other residents were ready to leave if it appeared a change in Milton’s path would have a greater chance of affecting the town.

 Law enforcement personnel were out in force when a boat carrying migrants beached in the 4000 block of North Ocean Boulevard in Gulf Stream on Oct. 9 ahead of Hurricane Milton’s landfall on Florida’s west coast later that day. Authorities said 11 migrants were taken into custody. The boat was removed the following day. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

Just to the south of Briny Breezes that same afternoon, Boynton Beach fire rescue personnel and other agencies responded to the arrival of a boat with refugees coming ashore.

Gulf Stream Police Chief Richard Jones said that 11 migrants were taken into custody at about 4 p.m. in the 4000 block of North Ocean Boulevard after the boat beached near the Ballantrae condominiums. Gulf Stream police assisted in the effort along with other first responder agencies including those in Delray Beach and Ocean Ridge.

Elsewhere along the coast, Highland Beach Fire Chief Glenn Joseph said his department responded to some downed and arcing power lines on State Road A1A due to Milton, while in Delray Beach and Gulf Stream officials said damage was limited to a tree branch or two in the streets.

Boca Raton also emerged from the storm in good shape.

“All generally OK and grateful for it,” Mayor Scott Singer said in a text message.

“No major impacts at all,” said city spokeswoman Ileana Olmsted in an email.

This half-sunken sailboat at Sportsman’s Park Marina in Lantana crashed into the sea wall because of the wind from Hurricane Milton. This photo was taken Oct. 10, when the storm’s approach spawned tornadoes to the north and west. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

Officials in Manalapan, Lantana and South Palm Beach reported little or no issues with beach erosion — with the storm coming from the west — or with street flooding as a result of minimal rainfall.

Much of the focus was on Milton itself, but a tornado spawned in one of the hurricane’s outer bands was blamed for multiple deaths in a Fort Pierce-area senior mobile home community that was similar in many ways to Briny Breezes.

In Palm Beach County, other tornadoes caused destructive damage in parts of Wellington and Palm Beach Gardens.

Jay Kelley (left) and his wife, Jo Bennett, help Briny Breezes resident Holly McCarthy secure her home on Oct. 8 after Palm Beach County urged evacuation for people living in mobile or manufactured homes. Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

That potential threat led some in Briny Breezes to heed the county’s evacuation notice announced Oct. 8 for people living in mobile and manufactured homes.

The order from county leaders was all that was needed to persuade Holly McCarthy to fasten her shutters and flee to Lake Worth Beach and stay with a friend.

“She wasn’t going to leave until they told her it was mandatory,” said friend Jo Bennett. Bennett and her husband, Jay Kelley, helped McCarthy prepare to leave.

Briny Breezes sent information to residents encouraging evacuation, but added that police would not be forcing anyone to leave. The town urged residents choosing to stay to shelter in one of a handful of bathhouses in the park because they are more secure than the community’s mobile homes.

Mary Thurwachter, Jerry Lower, John Pacenti, Mary Hladky, Brian Biggane and Steve Plunkett contributed to this story.

By Rich Pollack

With Hurricane Milton bearing down on them and a new evacuation order issued, the team at Tampa’s Estate at Hyde Park memory-care facility knew it needed to flee — and fast.

So, at 5 p.m. Oct. 8, the day before the storm was expected to batter Florida’s west coast, the staff packed up about 50 residents and their belongings — and about as many staff members — loaded up two large coaches and headed east.

Nine hours later — at 2 a.m. — the buses rolled into the parking lot of the Carlisle Palm Beach in Lantana, where they were greeted with open arms by several staff members who had been anticipating their arrival.

“It was all hands on deck,” said Carlisle General Manager Jim Alexander. “We all came in to get them settled.”

Related: South County catches break during Hurricane Milton

The Carlisle, a luxury senior living center tucked between the Intracoastal Waterway and the ocean, was able to house 35 of the Hyde Park residents as well as 11 staff members, while the remaining residents and staff from the Tampa center took refuge at the five-star Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa, across State Road A1A in Manalapan.

‘It went off without a hitch’
“We were able to accommodate around 30 evacuees from Florida’s west coast, providing a comfortable place to stay,” an Eau spokesperson said.

While the people from Estate at Hyde Park were here — they returned to Tampa Oct. 11 — the Carlisle provided all the meals and laundry facilities, as well as just about anything else that was needed.

Senior facilities helping each other is not uncommon, with Alexander saying that most, including the Carlisle, have a reciprocal agreement with three or four other facilities they can turn to in a crisis.

This situation was a little different, he said.

“The Estate at Hyde Park wasn’t on our list but it didn’t matter,” he said, adding that he and his team learned of the Tampa facility’s need through their corporate office. “We had the capacity and it went off without a hitch.”

Alexander credited the staffs at both Hyde Park and the Carlisle for ensuring that everything turned out well.

“They brought their staff members, who were well in tune with their residents,” Alexander said. “We had good systems in place and our whole staff did an incredible job.”

Christy Gray, executive director at the Estate at Hyde Park, said that thanks to the help her team received from both the Carlisle and its corporate parent, Bridge Senior Living, the stay was seamless with no disruption to the seniors’ daily routines.

“It truly was a team effort, and this collaboration allowed us to keep our residents safe, comfortable and well cared for,” Gray said.

As for the Estate at Hyde Park, its facilities weathered the storm just fine.

Turtle refugees, too
Coastal South Palm Beach County served as a refuge for some from the west coast who fled the earlier Hurricane Helene — although not all were human.

Several sea turtles from the Clearwater Marine Aquarium arrived at the Gumbo Limbo Nature Center in Boca Raton in late September after the facility that housed them suffered severe flood damage.

The turtles — six green sea turtles, a Kemp’s ridley and some hatchings — are being cared for by the nonprofit Coastal Stewards’ Sea Turtle Rehabilitation and Release Program until they can be returned to Clearwater.

By Brian Biggane

The South Palm Beach Town Council voted at its October meeting to solicit applications for its vacant fifth seat, conduct interviews among applicants at its Nov. 12 meeting and make an appointment by the end of the meeting.

Applicants have until 2 p.m. Nov. 6 to apply. Anyone seeking appointment must be a town resident for at least a year and be a registered voter.

There was much discussion among council members regarding a quote from Vice Mayor Monte Berendes in the October edition of The Coastal Star that someone had “put their hat in the ring,” with Council member Elva Culbertson stating that would violate the Sunshine Law. Town Attorney Ben Saver said that was not the case as the Sunshine Law applies only to members currently serving.

Town Manager Jamie Titcomb said an application had in fact been received in the spring, but the applicant had been told the vacancy would not be filled at that time.

Culbertson said anyone applying for the position should be required to have attended at least six council meetings a year, but Berendes said no one in town would meet that requirement as most meetings draw only a handful of people.

One resident of the Barclay condo said she understood people were reluctant to apply because of the Form 6 financial disclosure. Mayor Bonnie Fischer said Form 6 is being contested in court and thus is not a requirement at this time.

As the discussion concluded, Rafael Pineiro, a two-year resident of the Palmsea condominium, said he would be interested in the position.

Presentation postponed — A presentation by Town Planner Walter Keller regarding the South Palm Beach Comprehensive Plan was postponed until the November meeting.

Budget report — Ron Bennett, who serves as the accountant for the town, reported that interest earnings were approximately $220,000 over budget, due in large part to a decision the council made several months ago to move its savings into an account with a significantly higher interest rate.

Bennett reported that the only department that was over budget was Public Works, because repairs and maintenance expenses were higher than projected.
The council voted to write off approximately $700 in accounts receivable, as Bennett said most of the charges dated back several years and thus were difficult to track.

Grant returned — Town Manager Jamie Titcomb reported that the town had decided to return a $75,000 Florida Department of Environmental Protection Vulnerability Grant, stating that it had become “kind of an albatross,” was requested by the previous administration and was no longer feasible.

Town Attorney Ben Saver said he had told Titcomb that a requirement of the grant was to go through the process of requesting bids for a consultant, doing the hiring and then having the consultant do much of the work the town expects to have done in hiring a Fort Lauderdale firm to design and build the new Town Hall.

Fischer attends beach meeting — Mayor Bonnie Fischer reported she had attended the 67th annual meeting of the Florida Shore and Beach Preservation Association in Bonita Springs in an effort to stay abreast of technology regarding sand replacement.

South Palm Beach has a tentative agreement with the town of Palm Beach to receive a shipment of sand for its beaches in January.

— Brian Biggane

Lindsay Hays Saraj and her husband, John Saraj, have made Highland Beach their residential home and Delray Beach the home of their bakery cafe, Paris Baguette. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

John Saraj has a background in hospitality while wife, Lindsay Hays Saraj, has spent her career in public relations and marketing. When the Highland Beach couple decided to open a cafe not long ago, they decided on a chain that had no previous presence in South Florida.

The result was Paris Baguette, a bright and airy bakery on Federal Highway just south of Linton Boulevard and Trader Joe’s plaza in Delray Beach. The chain has two other locations in the state, in Winter Park and Winter Garden.

“We looked in a variety of places and felt like this area didn’t have anything like this,” said Lindsay.

“We had a big patio here and the location is pretty accessible,” she said. “We get people who appreciate what we’re doing and the artisanal aspect of this. Once they come, they come back. They’ll say, ‘We wish we had this in Miami.’”

Lindsay grew up in the Midwest but had moved to New York when the couple was married. After having their first of two children, they decided seven years ago they would prefer to raise their family in South Florida and found their spot in Highland Beach.

The restaurant space was vacant when they found it in a small shopping plaza. The bakery opened in April and is gearing up for its first season.

Aside from the rows of brightly lit pastries and confections, Lindsay is proud of a mural that covers the entire south wall. It depicts several aspects of life in Delray Beach, from tennis to golf to the bridges spanning the Intracoastal Waterway to people strolling Atlantic Avenue.

Having the bakery minutes from the family home and easily accessible from the barrier island helped the decision to locate in Delray Beach.

“The access to other towns [was good] and it had plenty of parking,” Lindsay Saraj said. “We were very excited to bring the products here, because we think they’re incredible.

We thought the community would love it and we hope they do. It’s near where we live, our kids loving coming here, we love doing sweets and hope the community enjoys it.”

— Brian Biggane

Q: Where did you grow up and go to school? How do you think that has influenced you?
A: Growing up in the Midwest, in Carmel, Indiana, a great town to grow up in, I was surrounded by a lot of family-oriented, down-to-earth people, with a “do what you say” kind of mentality. It has influenced me in my personal and professional life to be forthright and hardworking.
I majored in both communications and business at Miami University in Ohio. Writing came naturally to me and I loved people, so public relations was a better route. I love having clients, connecting with them, and finding their needs, and I learned a lot about business as well.
When later I studied abroad in Luxembourg, I not only furthered my love of literature, but my interest in freshly baked sweets.

Q: What professions have you worked in? What professional accomplishments are you most proud of?
A: I’ve had a lifelong career in public relations and marketing. After hooking up with a global firm, Weber Shandwick, right out of college, I started my own PR firm in Chicago, working with a variety of restaurants, hotels and talented chefs. Chicago is an amazing town and there are a lot of marketing and communication opportunities. ... Eventually my repertoire expanded, but I’ve always had a soft spot for the hospitality industry.
One of the professional accomplishments I’m most proud of is opening Paris Baguette in Delray. It feels like a culmination of many things: serving our community, a business with my husband that brings joy to others and one that our children can enjoy as well.

Q: What advice do you have for a young person seeking a career today?
A: Pursue your passions. If you do what you love or comes naturally, you won’t feel like you’re working. This coupled with hard work and determination is a recipe for success and fulfillment.

Q: How did you choose to make your home in Highland Beach?
A: We explored up and down the east coast of Florida and we felt like this beach town was so special, a true gem.

Q: What is your favorite part about living in Highland Beach?
A: The mix of beach and Intracoastal access on the barrier island is unique. The people are warm and friendly, and I can honestly say we feel lucky to call it home every day. 

Q: What book are you reading now?
A: Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid. I’m reading it for the book club I’m a part of, with other tennis players (and this book happens to be about tennis). It’s interesting because I picked it up before it was even assigned in our book club. It’s about a tennis player who is ranked No. 1 or 2 in the world, who is past her prime but then gets pushed to make a comeback.

Q: What music do you listen to when you want to relax? When you want to be inspired?
A: I love a wide range of music and listen to it throughout the day. Everything from rock, chill house music, to dancing to Rihanna with my daughter, to Billy Joel, Queen, and I can’t leave out ’80s hits.

Q: Have you had mentors in your life? Individuals who have inspired your life decisions?
A: Through some of my inspirational work events such as TEDx Events and Women’s Entrepreneurship Day I’ve been inspired by female leaders determined to evolve and innovate. Clients that have put a lot of trust in me through the years certainly keep me activated, and my parents and family taught me about civility and grace. 
I’m very self-driven but also always wanted to have someone to look up to. If there’s one person I could name it would be Maye Musk. Her story is inspirational because she figured out different ways to be successful on her own and support her family. She’s raised interesting children, written a book, and signed with IMG Models after the age of 70.

Q: If your life story were to be made into a movie, who would play you?
A: I have no idea! The actress I can remember being told I resemble is a woman who was big in the ’70s; her name is spelled the same as mine, Lindsay Wagner.

Q: Who/what makes you laugh?
A: Watching our son make impressions and be silly.

Smart traffic signals that coordinate flow may be able to help with the typical congestion on Atlantic Avenue in downtown Delray Beach. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

By John Pacenti

The tourist season is almost upon us and Delray Beach’s Atlantic Avenue — like a bear coming out of hibernation — will soon roar to life.

Foot traffic will rival that at Disney World. Good luck with restaurant reservations. And local motorists will curse aloud, finding themselves on Atlantic, stuck in the traffic equivalent of lava, possibly wondering if they are destined to be discovered — still clutching the wheel — in the faraway future by archeologists.

Could new technology be the salvation?

Delray Beach Mayor Tom Carney said he is pursuing a pilot of smart traffic lights to relieve congestion on Atlantic Avenue, recently setting up a meeting with city staff and the Florida Department of Transportation.

Using old and new technology, smart signals employ sensors to collect data and modify the timing of signals according to traffic volume and velocity. Smart signals also can be used by emergency vehicles and public transportation to get them through faster, and even provide data that newer cars can use to provide drivers with better route suggestions.

“When I was running for office, one of the things I heard the most was, you know, what are we going to do about the traffic? The traffic is terrible both from a vehicular and a pedestrian experience, right?” Carney said.

At the same time, he heard about how Palm Beach County was planning test pilot programs of smart signals.

County Commissioner Gregg Weiss said there will be one pilot program in Palm Beach Gardens along Hood Road and State Road A1A. Another is planned for Okeechobee Boulevard east of Interstate 95 in West Palm Beach. The state is also planning to install smart signals on State Road 7, he said.

With more high-rise development nearer the coast, cities like Delray Beach, West Palm Beach and Boca Raton are each looking at one main east-west artery into their downtowns — Atlantic Avenue, Okeechobee Boulevard and Palmetto Park Road, respectively.

Weiss said there is simply no way to build more lanes on those roads; the rights-of-way don’t exist.

“If we’re going to try to move people more efficiently and in a way that is better for the environment, then we are going to have to do some things differently,” Weiss said. “Technology is one of the ways to help us to do that in managing our traffic networks.”

Smart traffic lights use old technologies (cameras) with new (artificial intelligence) to determine the quantity and type of vehicles on the roadway.

Carney said he reached out to Palm Beach County shortly before his election in March.

“I think Atlantic Avenue is the best test area you can have because it has all the features that you’re worried about,” Carney said. “You’re worried about traffic, you’re worried about cross-traffic, you’re worried about the safety of pedestrians.”

Weiss said there was no county money this year for another pilot. Yet, as luck would have it, Carney was at an event when he ran into County Commissioner Marci Woodward, who the mayor said is heavily involved in transportation issues.

Woodward arranged a meeting with Delray Beach staffers and FDOT at the mayor’s office in late September. FDOT officials explained to the city the criteria they needed and that Delray Beach would indeed be a great test area, Carney said.

“So it’s evolving,” Carney said. “We are waiting to hear back but there is dialogue going back and forth.”

Public Works Director Missie Barletto, in an Oct. 17 email to City Manager Terrence Moore, said FDOT’s liaisons to the city were assigned hurricane recovery duties. “Once they return to the regularly assigned duties, we will be working with them to coordinate these ideas into the Swinton and Atlantic Intersection Improvement Project,” she wrote.

The discussion between FDOT and the city was to use smart signals on Atlantic from Congress Avenue east to A1A. Carney said he is excited to see how smart traffic lights can help the intersection at Swinton and Atlantic, the source of many backups.

The smart signals are pedestrian-friendly and will respond to foot traffic, decreasing jaywalking, “because the lights will be responsive as opposed to waiting to cross for two minutes when there is no traffic,” Carney said.

Weiss said public transportation would also be able to use smart signals to be more time-efficient.

The length of a bus trip would be shorter, giving people more incentive to use public transportation. That would decrease the number of cars on the road and reduce pollution, Weiss said.

As viewed from the Intracoastal Waterway, one of the homes in the Bluewater Cove portion of Place Au Soleil will be two stories. Rendering provided

By Steve Plunkett

The second of two Bluewater Cove houses on the Intracoastal Waterway has, as predicted, two stories fronting the water, and the empty parcel just to the north will be home to two mangrove nurseries.

The new residence will be a 6,967-square-foot single-family home in the Anglo-Caribbean style with a three-car garage and swimming pool.

Getting the OK to build a sea wall and 5-foot-wide docks for that home and the other Bluewater Cove waterfront property was arduous, developer Paul Courchene told the Gulf Stream Town Commission on Oct. 11.

“It took us over 3½ years to get the Army Corps of Engineers’ approval,” he said.

Neil Wood, an engineer with Delray Beach-based Sea Diversified Inc., said part of their proposal included changes to the Florida Inland Navigation District acreage to the north of the 14-home development in Place Au Soleil.

“We needed to provide mitigation for the removal of some black and red mangroves, so on the FIND property we have these two mangrove planters which are, combined, about 1,400 square feet,” Wood said. “They’ll be planted with 1-foot or 1½-foot staggered red and black mangroves.”

These nurseries will be at the north and south ends of the FIND parcel, with rock revetment in between sloping down to the water.

After their brief presentation, Mayor Scott Morgan called for votes to permit the bulkhead, revetment and home construction on a portion of the town on the west side of the Intracoastal.

“We don’t want to hold you up any more than the federal government has,” Morgan said.

Cary Glickstein, also on the development team, told commissioners last December that he expected both Bluewater Cove houses on the Intracoastal would be two stories, but the people who bought the first waterfront lot opted for a one-story, 6,343-square-foot Georgian-style home.

The land that is now Bluewater Cove was previously owned by FIND, which swapped its waterfront acreage with the Gulf Stream Golf Club, which then sold the property to the developer of the street. FIND commonly keeps its land undeveloped to use as storage sites for ICW dredging.

By Steve Plunkett

After serving nine months on the Briny Breezes Town Council and with four months to go, Alderman Keith Black says that will be enough.

Black will not run for a full term, he announced at the council’s Oct. 24 meeting as Town Clerk Sandi DuBose listed the timetable for March’s municipal election.

Black tried to run for mayor in last March’s balloting but complained in December 2023 that the county supervisor of elections rejected five of the 23 signatures he had collected to support his candidacy. Mayoral candidates in Briny Breezes must submit 20 valid signatures from registered voters in town.

After council veteran Sue Thaler resigned in late December, Black was the only person to send in a letter of interest to fill the remaining year-plus of her position. He previously sat on the Planning and Zoning Board.

His Seat 1 will be on the March 11 ballot along with Council President Liz Loper’s Seat 3 and Alderman Bill Birch’s Seat 5. The qualifying period is noon Nov. 12 to noon Nov. 26.

Also at the Oct. 24 meeting, Town Manager Bill Thrasher said he will convene a stakeholder meeting to provide information and answer questions on the town’s sea wall and drainage plans.

The meeting, which is tentatively set for 4 to 5:30 p.m. Dec. 4 in the Community Center, must be held for the town to actually receive $5,000 of its already awarded $330,000 planning grant from the state.

Thrasher said he is also required to take attendance at the meeting.

The Town Council will skip its Nov. 28 and Dec. 26 meetings to avoid conflicts with the holidays and meet instead at 4 p.m. Dec. 12.

King tides affected coastal Palm Beach County in October and another round is expected Nov. 14 through 18.

ABOVE: Robert Stalzer, the tennis pro at Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa, assists a hotel guest with crossing the flooded road in front of the resort.

BELOW: Corey Roberts and Thor Arnold struggle against the strong winds to load a customer’s boat onto their trailer in the flooded parking lot of Sportsman’s Park in Lantana.
Photos by Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

By John Pacenti

In a stunning revelation, Delray Beach City Manager Terrence Moore could not assure the public that an alleged bribery scheme within the city’s Code Enforcement Department is contained and that the department isn’t riddled with corruption.

Moore’s comment came at the Oct. 15 City Commission meeting when Vice Mayor Juli Casale asked him about the arrest of a code enforcement officer accused of shaking down two residents.

Khatoya Markia Wesley, 35, was arrested Oct. 3 on two counts of extortion threats and two counts of unlawful compensation, second-degree felonies punishable by up to 15 years in prison. She was fired Oct. 7 for accepting money, willful misconduct and conduct unbecoming a city employee, according to a memo written by Moore.

City Attorney Lynn Gelin has asked the Office of the Inspector General to conduct a review of the department, Casale said after the Oct. 15 commission meeting. She did not know if the OIG asked to conduct the investigation was with the state or with Palm Beach County. Gelin did not return an email seeking comment on Oct. 18.

Casale pressed Moore on the bribery arrest at the meeting, noting that the code compliance officer fired is accused in the police report of using surrogates and multiple Cash App accounts.

“Did we do a full investigation into this department to make sure that this is one individual and not a bunch of people working together?” Casale asked.
Moore said a “review process was imminent.”

“What do you mean a review process is imminent?” Casale shot back.

“We will be reviewing our processes to be on point in that regard because, of course, my concern is if there’s more than one individual other than who was apprehended in the most recent events,” Moore said.

Casale asked Moore why the city took so long to investigate Wesley and why commissioners were not informed.

“Our residents deserve better,” Casale said. “We are here to clean up, not cover up, and that’s what it feels like is going on when we don’t get information about one of our employees bribing people and extorting them.”

She told Moore she was frustrated that it took so much time to investigate Wesley, who was on paid administrative leave for four months before being arrested a year after the alleged bribery took place.

Moore, who has increasingly been on the defensive with Casale, said he was “not happy with the application” but that probable cause had to be established along the lines of the city’s policies and procedures.

“In all fairness, as far as the time frames you outlined, it was not a function of irresponsibility on our part, (it’s) simply taken time to put the pieces together. That is policy, that is process. And ultimately, we got to a place in which the arrest had been made,” Moore said.

Wesley is accused of demanding payment from John “The Ribman” Jules, who sold barbecue ribs out of his home at 1048 Sunset Ave. Jules said he gave Wesley $1,500 in cash and $800 in food for her and her associates, according to an Oct. 3 arrest report.

Wesley is also accused of trying to shake down Yves Merzius, who police said owned UU Auto Sales at 210 SE Third Ave. “He stated Wesley came to the lot on several occasions and stated that she was going to report his business to code enforcement unless he paid her,” the report stated.

Both men had been subject to code enforcement complaints in the past. Jules faced complaints because of traffic jams in the neighborhood around his house as he sold rib plates for $20 apiece. Merzius told police that he had a shop but code enforcement shut it down and he was storing cars at the address in question.

Wesley was released from Palm Beach County Jail on Oct. 4 after posting a $10,000 bond. The phone number listed on the police report for Wesley was disconnected. The public defender representing Wesley has not yet responded to an Oct. 19 email seeking comment.

An investigation into Wesley — who lives in Delray Beach — started in February when a fellow code enforcement officer reported her after he spoke to a family member of an alleged victim, police said. The alleged extortion and bribery took place in October 2023, according to the report.

In the police report, Wesley complains in a text message that Jules’ account was frozen and that he could pay only $560. A contact phone for Jules was not included in the police report and he could not be reached for comment.

Wesley was explicit in her threats, according to the police report.

“If nothing sent tonight it ain’t nothing ima be able to do to help bro ’cause I gotta pay somebody else,” she told Jules on one occasion. Police said she followed it up with a text message that said, “They sending fire department and everything tonight if the event paperwork not shown.”

Text messages between Wesley and Merzius were recovered but they did not have any payment information, according to the arrest report.

The Ocean Ridge Commission on Oct. 21 agreed to have the Planning and Zoning Commission and the town lawyer reexamine an ordinance prohibiting political signs in swales during election season.

“I don’t think the town of Ocean Ridge should be driving around — the Police Department, especially — moving signs, touching signs. I don’t appreciate that,” Mayor Geoff Pugh said.

At the meeting, former Commissioner Terry Brown said a police officer came to his home on Oct. 17 after a neighbor complained that his sign supporting Vice President Kamala Harris was not 3 feet back from the street.

“Why would you dispatch a police officer to come and out and do that?” he told The Coastal Star. Brown moved the sign into his tree.

Town Manager Lynne Ladner said the town is not out looking for political signs that are in the rights-of-way, but said police or code enforcement officers are dispatched when there is a complaint from a resident.

Commissioner Ainar Aijala Jr. then suggested that there should be a policy that police and code enforcement ignore complaints about political signs during election season.

For the time being, Brown put his offending sign up in a tree but he told commissioners he has a Constitutional right to place political placards where he sees fit. “I will be using the road’s right-of-way for signs the week before the election,” he said.

— John Pacentii

Boynton Beach city commissioners approved an agreement Oct. 15 with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection related to a massive sewage spill into the Intracoastal Waterway in July 2023.

The city didn’t admit or deny any of the department’s findings in the so-called consent order, but agreed to a $182,008 civil penalty and to pay $1,000 to cover FDEP investigation costs and expenses, along with undertaking corrective actions. Boynton Beach has the opportunity to avoid paying the cash penalty if it instead implements an approved pollution prevention or in-kind project worth $273,012 (150% of the civil penalty).

The commission approved the consent order without comment.

“The [consent order] reflects the City and FDEP’s mutually agreed upon resolution of the matter and the City agrees to comply with the corrective actions within the time periods set out in the [consent order],” the staff’s agenda report says. “The Utility sees this as an opportunity to continue its vision of improving infrastructure assessment, asset management, and repair and replacement projects to continue providing exceptional services to our customers.”

About 22 million gallons of sewage spilled into the Intracoastal over six days due to a broken sewer line at the eastern end of Boynton Beach Boulevard. The city spent $1.6 million to repair the line and clean up the spill.

— Larry Barszewski

BOCA RATON — Helen Marie Bates Babione, with her husband a pioneer of St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church, died Oct. 5. She was 95.

Helen Bates moved to Lake Worth from Ohio in 1948 and in 1950 married Robert Babione. They moved to Boca Raton in 1960, where they opened Babione Funeral Home and became active members in the community. 

Helen and Robert joined St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church, where they were among the pioneer families that helped grow the church and school into the beautiful sanctuary and campus they are today. As a devoted parishioner for 50-plus years, she was surrounded by her many friends and family for her 90th birthday party in the church’s Mercy Center in March 2019.

Mrs. Babione was preceded in death by her beloved husband in 2004, as well as by her daughter Mary Veccia, son Robert Babione Jr. and his wife, Sue Babione, son-in-law Mike Haggerty, and grandson Brian Veccia.

She was a compassionate, generous and kind woman who loved helping others and bringing people together. She was an advocate for women and children her whole life, encouraging everyone to stay happy and healthy.

She leaves her family with many fond memories. She is survived by daughters Kathryn (Mark) Rogers, Phyllis Haggerty, Ashley (Tim) Glick and Jean (Bill) Giffin; son Paul Babione; and son-in-law Joe (Damiana) Veccia. She was blessed with 11 grandchildren: Tiffany (Don), Kimberly (Nick), Jennifer, Pamela (Seth), Robert (Stefanie), Cindy (Daryl), Alyson (Fergus), Kaitlyn (Marcello), Jonathan (Rachel), Laura and Trevor. Along came 13 great-grandchildren: Kade and Quinn FitzHenry; Madelyn and Abigail Veccia, and their mother, Jaime; Alexis and Savanna Babione; Kyle Smith; Bruno, Amelia and Clara Amsalem; Georgiana and Zinnia Keatinge; Liliana Barioli; also many nieces, nephews and cousins.

Mrs. Babione was very proud of her work on the “Honor Your Doctor” annual luncheon organized by the Downtown Rotary Club. The Soroptimist Club, which she started in Boca Raton, was also dear to her heart. And she was a donor to the growth of Boca Raton Regional Hospital (she co-chaired an annual Go Pink luncheon), as well as a life member of the Debbie-Rand Memorial Service League.

She was a founding member of the Society for the Disabled in 1960 and from that the Twin Palms Center for the Disabled and the Habilitation Center of Boca Raton were started. She supported the work of American Association of Caregiving Youth; she was also involved with the Downtown Kiwanis and Key Club work.  

The Babiones received many honors over the years for their community service, including the “Heartland Award” presented by then-Gov. Lawton Chiles and the “Family of the Year” award from the Florida Knights of Columbus.

Most recently, she received a beautiful figurine from St. Joan of Arc Church for her faithfulness and love of Jesus.

A Mass of Christian burial was celebrated on Oct. 14 at St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church followed by interment at Boca Raton Cemetery.

At Helen’s wish, in lieu of flowers, donations can be made at glickfamilyfuneralhome.com/obituary/Helen-Babione#donations. The funds will then be distributed by the family to many of Helen’s most beloved charities.

— Obituary submitted by the family

DELRAY BEACH — It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Deborah “Debbie” Ann Grove. On Oct. 7, she succumbed to her long battle with cancer. She was 67.  

Born in Wilmington, Delaware, Ms. Grove attended Mount Pleasant High School and the School of Cosmetology, later becoming the owner of the popular Charles Davis Salon in Centerville. 

After meeting the love of her life, John Belmonte, Ms. Grove moved to Delray Beach where the couple lived for 25 years. Together they enjoyed traveling overseas in exploration of the world.

Ms. Grove was a caring and fun-loving person with a wonderful sense of humor. She had a passion for animals, always having a dog by her side for her daily walks on the beach.

She was a beloved member of The Colony Beach Club for over a decade, where she cultivated many special friendships. She and John loved entertaining; she was the quintessential “hostess with mostest.” 

She was preceded in death by both of her parents, Edward Sr. and Marjorie Grove. She is survived by her brother, Edward Grove Jr., and her sister-in-law, Rosemary, as well as John Belmonte and her many extended family members. She will be deeply missed. Services are private. 

— Obituary submitted by the family

The Carlisle is on Ocean Avenue just west of State Road A1A in Lantana. Photo provided

By Christine Davis

The Carlisle Palm Beach, a senior living facility in Lantana, is celebrating its 25th birthday with a Seaside Soiree from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Nov. 14 at the facility, 450 E. Ocean Ave.

The event will include live music, chef-prepared hors d’oeuvres and house-made cocktails.

Press materials for the Carlisle call it “a hidden gem set between the ocean, the Lantana Nature Preserve and the Intracoastal Waterway.”

Part of the Orlando-based Bridge Senior Living, the Carlisle offers 144 upscale independent-living apartments, with a variety of one- or two-bedroom floor-plan styles. It recently underwent a multimillion-dollar modernization that included the lobby, dining room and wellness center and state-of-the-art fitness facility.

For reservations to the soiree, call 561-295-1262 or visit CarlislePalmBeachEvents.com.

***

Grove Rosebud Two LLC, managed by Randal Perkins, deeded the 141-room hotel The Ray, 233 NE Second Ave., Delray Beach, to a joint venture between the New York-based Certares and the Delray Beach-based TMGOC Ventures after they assumed its mortgage.

Recorded in September, the deed’s doc stamps were based on a value of $57.7 million because that was the mortgage assumed by the buyer; however, the consideration for the property conveyance was $47.84 million, according to the deed.

Totaling 96,631 square feet, the hotel was built on the 1.09-acre site in 2021. When Grove Rosebud Two was incorporated in 2021, Menin Development was the manager. Perkins was named manager in place of Menin in November 2023. 

Certares is a global investment firm focused on the travel and hospitality industries, and TMGOC Ventures is a real estate investment firm.

***

A seven-bedroom, 12,408-square-foot ocean-to-lake estate at 3090 S. Ocean Blvd., Manalapan, owned by oil heiress Jean Christine Thompson, sold to call-center entrepreneur Anthony Marlowe in October for $15.589 million.

One Sotheby’s International Realty agents Madison Collum and Sandra Tagliamonte handled both sides of the sale.

Built in 2000, the estate sits on 1.75 acres. Thompson’s company paid $11.5 million for it in 2011. The estate had been on the market since April 2023, when it was listed at $28.5 million.

***

Piano Man Billy Joel did finally sell his mansion at 1110 S. Ocean Blvd. in Manalapan after it went pending in late August with a closing date scheduled for Oct. 2. The $42.6 million sale was recorded Oct. 23.

Joel listed the property for $54.9 million in January and reduced it to $49.9 million in March.

The new owner, Dr. Armin Oskouei, bought the estate through 1110 S Ocean Blvd LLC, a limited liability company. Christian Angle of Christian Angle Real Estate represented both sides of the deal.

***

Macy’s sold its 224,396- square-foot department store at the Boynton Beach Mall to the mall’s owner, Boynton Beach Mall LLC, which is part of the Washington Prime Group, for $15 million.

The store is expected to stay open at least through 2025.

What is happening with the mall in general? Known as Boynton Beach 91, the 91-acre site was recently marked for sale by JLL Capital as a mixed-use project. Boynton Beach city officials are keen for the mall’s owner to move forward with redevelopment. 

***

The Gold Coast PR Council in October gave out its annual Bernays Awards to honor excellence in local public relations campaigns, marketing programs and media coverage.

The President’s Award went to Marie Speed. The PR Star Award was given to Don Silver of Boardroom PR. The Founders Award went to Sandy Collier. Tania Rogers received the Tim Byrd Award. CRL Media LLC received the Judges Award. 

The Best Nonprofit Project or Campaign/Large award went to the Palm Beach County Library System for its 2024-2028 strategic plan and its 2024 action plan. The Best Nonprofit Project or Campaign/Small award went to Kravis Center for the Performing Arts for “Space Explorers: The Infinite.” The Best Marketing Material/Print award went to Anne M. Gannon, Palm Beach County’s tax collector, for Welcome Home to Palm Beach County.”

The Best Marketing Material/Digital or Video award went to the Palm Beach County Library System for “Embracing the New — The Complete Renovation of www.pbclibrary.org.”
The Best Special Event award went to Kaye Communications for “Concert 4 Kindness.” The Best Social Media Campaign/For Profit award went to Boardroom PR for “Gloria Gates Care.”

The Cultural Council for Palm Beach County arts and culture ambassador Nick Mele received the Best Social Media Campaign/Nonprofit award. The Best Crisis Management award was given to Food for the Poor’s “Food For The Poor Responds to Crisis in Haiti.”

The Best PR Campaign by a Small Company or Firm award went to Ed Katz, Katnip PR, for Chris Sarandon’s “Cooking by Heart” podcast promotion. The Best PR Campaign by a Large Company or Firm award went to the Palm Tran “Let’s Get On The Bus! Challenge.”

***

Florida Atlantic University’s College of Education and College of Engineering and Computer Science received a $9.9 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education to provide technology job training to people with disabilities.

“By bridging the gap between disability and technology careers, we are not only opening doors to competitive integrated employment but also fostering a more inclusive and diverse workforce,” FAU principal investigator and associate professor Ayse Torres said.

The five-year project will offer counseling and training that can lead to certificates in cybersecurity, cloud computing solutions and computer-aided design and 3D printing. The college will focus on youth and adults who have high school diplomas and are current or former participants of state vocational rehab services.

***

Carbon Limit, a Boca Raton-based company that makes a concrete additive that absorbs carbon dioxide, just debuted CoolCrete, a cooling technology that improves concrete’s ability to reflect sunlight to reduce overall heat absorption up to 6 degrees Celsius.

“We’ve created an enhanced sustainable solution to directly address the heat crisis we’re experiencing across the globe,” said CEO Tim Sperry.

The company hopes its additive can be used to combat the urban heat island effect. CoolCrete can replace up to 40% of conventional cement and reduce the carbon footprint of concrete production by 40%, the company reports.

***

This summer, Florida Power & Light Co. debuted a tool giving customers tips to keep their bills low, with the chance to win a $150 prize pack. Every two weeks, the top 10 eligible players have the option to receive their prize pack or donate the value toward FPL’s “Care To Share” program that helps Floridians in need. For information, visit FPL.com/HouseofSavings. For more tips and resources, customers can go to FPL.com/WaystoSave.

***

Florida Atlantic University has gained ground in the new U.S. News & World Report national ranking of best universities, ranking No. 189, up from 209 last year.

***

The Boca Raton/Boynton Beach Chamber of Commerce’s Boynton is Booming Business Expo will be from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Nov. 14 at the Marriott Courtyard, 1601 N. Congress Ave., Boynton Beach. People will have the opportunity to network, learn about brands and marketing, and generate leads and potential sales. The event is free for Chamber members, and $20 for non-members.

***

Verizon Communications and the Boca Raton-based telecommunications firm Vertical Bridge have entered into an agreement for Vertical Bridge to get the exclusive rights to manage and lease 6,339 wireless towers across the nation from Verizon for about $3.3 billion. This deal works like a prepaid lease, where Verizon gets $2.8 billion in cash up front. Verizon will also sign a 10-year agreement to rent space on the towers from Vertical Bridge, and it can extend the deal for up to 50 years.

Verizon will still be able to use some extra space on the towers in the future, but with some limits. This agreement helps Verizon lower its tower costs. The deal is expected to close by the end of 2024.

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

By John Pacenti

After a year of drama and turmoil surrounding Delray Beach’s previous fire chief, City Manager Terrence Moore failed to discover the replacement he hired had three internal complaints filed against him that were pending when he resigned as chief of the Fort Myers Beach Fire Control District.

The complaints from the first week of March 2023 centered on a secret affair between Fire Chief Ronald Martin and the fire district's human resources manager.

Among the allegations, staffers said the HR manager was promoted to leadership roles and that resources were expended so the couple could continue their romance on out-of-town business trips.

Moore was made aware of the complaints by Vice Mayor Juli Casale after Moore picked Martin in September.

“The gentleman's personal relationship with the woman is not of concern, but in reading these complaints closely you see that there are accusations of abuse of authority and misuse of taxpayer funds,” Casale said in an Oct. 11 email to Moore.

The Fort Myers Beach Fire Control District did not take action to determine the merits of the complaints because Martin resigned on March 17, 2023, the same day that a district report says officials were to meet with him about the accusations.

“I categorically deny every single one of those allegations,” Martin told The Coastal Star on Oct. 21. The HR manager, Colleen Brooks, who is now Martin’s fiancée, was by his side during the interview but did not comment.

Casale told Moore in emails and at the City Commission’s Oct. 15 meeting that the “shocking” failure to properly vet Martin calls into question the city’s hiring practices.

“If you have somebody who's been employed a long time in a city, they have a record, and we're not even asking for that in the hiring process," Casale said at the meeting without mentioning Martin by name.

“So, we hired an individual, and we're very hopeful that it will turn out to be a great hire, but basically, it will be a matter of luck and not the competency of the process, because the process is flawed,” Casale said.

At the same meeting, Martin was introduced as the new chief.

During his interview with The Coastal Star, Martin said he was unaware of the complaints until the paper asked him about them. They were not brought up when he tendered his resignation or met with the fire district’s attorney and the chairman of its board of commissioners, he said.

Martin said he stepped down because of a cancer scare and that he felt the district could be dissolved in a changing political climate. Martin also spoke about the mental fatigue he experienced in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, which made a catastrophic hit on Fort Myers Beach a half-year earlier on Sept. 28, 2022.

When asked if he thought the affair was inappropriate, Martin said, “Between two consenting adults? Absolutely not.”  He said the romance was a blessing considering the issues he was dealing with at the time.

Martin said that the district was audited and found no financial wrongdoing in attending conferences during the period in question.

He also said that Brooks reported to the director of finance, not him.

Yet one of the complaints said that in the months before Ian struck, “Chief Martin had been elevating Mrs. Brooks status in the organization, changing her scope of duties, and moving her up to the Senior Leadership Team” — adding that “these changes meant she was now reporting directly to Chief Martin.”

Mayor Tom Carney, reached for comment on Oct. 21, said he had not researched the hiring process or Martin’s past. “It would be irresponsible for me to make a comment until I have all of the facts,” the mayor said.

Commissioner Rob Long said he spoke to Moore about the hiring and was told that the complaints were known and that since it was consensual — as opposed to unwanted advances — it did not dissuade the city manager from hiring Martin.

“Terrence said that like he knew about it, and it wasn't something that they that they ignored,” Long said.

The email traffic between Casale, Moore and Delray Beach Human Resources Manager Duane D’Andrea, however, tells a different story — that Delray Beach didn’t know about the complaints when it hired Martin.

Moore announced Martin’s hiring in one of his weekly information letters in September. Casale on Oct. 8 asked Moore in an email if personnel files and professional references were requested. She said a simple Google search would discover that Martin resigned abruptly.

“This seems like a clear red flag,” Casale wrote to Moore.

When she was told by D’Andrea that the city did not request Martin’s personnel file from the Fort Myers Beach fire district, the vice mayor responded, “Wow. That is Shocking.”

Moore was asked on Oct. 22 if he knew of the complaints or not. He didn’t answer but provided a statement:

“During the interview process, I had the opportunity to meet with Chief Martin to discuss his employment history and experience. There is no legitimate reason for an unsubstantiated claim or allegation to affect a prospective employee’s future. Martin has no disciplinary actions in his personnel records which might in any way negatively impact his ability to successfully serve in his new role.”

In coming to Delray Beach, Martin is inheriting a department still reeling from the drama surrounding its former chief, Keith Tomey.

Tomey was fired in May for allowing on-duty firefighters to participate in a charity softball game, taking an engine out of service for hours. A firefighter also got hurt during the game and sought worker’s compensation.

Tomey also accused Moore of sexually harassing him. An independent investigation found the allegation could not be substantiated. Tomey has filed suit against the city, saying he was retaliated against for making the complaint against Moore.

Martin worked for the Fort Myers Beach Fire Control District, in various capacities, since 1992. After his resignation, he took a job with Lee County and then as the chief of fire safety for the Louisiana Office of the State Fire Marshal.

In the email exchanges with Moore and D’Andrea, Casale asked why they felt Martin’s file was “clean” and that the allegations were “unsubstantiated.”

D’Andrea explained under city policy there was a panel who interviewed Martin, who said he left his position at Fort Myers Beach for personal reasons. Background screening included a review of Martin’s driver’s license record, a physical, a drug test and two personal references, D’Andrea told Casale.

Casale, during the Oct. 15 meeting, said the city should consider hiring a headhunter to find candidates for open positions.

By John Pacenti

In a stunning revelation, Delray Beach City Manager Terrence Moore could not assure the public that an alleged bribery scheme within the city’s Code Enforcement Department is contained and that the department isn’t riddled with corruption.

Moore’s comment came at the Oct. 15 City Commission meeting when Vice Mayor Juli Casale asked him about the arrest of a code enforcement officer accused of shaking down two residents.

Khatoya Markia Wesley, 35, was arrested Oct. 3 on two counts of extortion threats and two counts of unlawful compensation, second-degree felonies punishable by up to 15 years in prison. She was fired from her position Oct. 7 for accepting money, willful misconduct and conduct unbecoming a city employee, according to a memo written by Moore.

City Attorney Lynn Gelin has asked the Office of the Inspector General to conduct a review of the department, Casale said after the Oct. 15 commission meeting. She did not know if the OIG asked to conduct the investigation was with the state or with Palm Beach County. Gelin did not return an email seeking comment on Oct. 18.

Casale pressed Moore on the bribery arrest at the meeting, noting that the code compliance officer fired is accused in the police report of using surrogates and multiple Cash Apps accounts.

“Did we do a full investigation into this department to make sure that this is one individual and not a bunch of people working together?” Casale asked.

Moore said a “review process was imminent.”

“What do you mean a review process is imminent?” Casale shot back.

“We will be reviewing our processes to be on point in that regard because, of course, my concern is if there's more than one individual other than who was apprehended in the most recent events,” Moore said.

Casale asked Moore why the city took so long to investigate Wesley and why weren’t commissioners informed.

“Our residents deserve better,” Casale said. “We are here to clean up, not cover up, and that's what it feels like is going on when we don't get information about one of our employees bribing people and extorting them.”

She told Moore she was frustrated that it took so much time to investigate Wesley, who was on paid administrative leave for four months before being arrested a year after the alleged bribery took place.

Moore, who has increasingly been on the defensive with Casale, said he was “not happy with the application” but that probable cause had to be established along the lines of the city’s policies and procedures.

“In all fairness, as far as the timeframes you outlined, it was not a function of irresponsibility on our part, (it’s) simply taken time to put the pieces together. That is policy, that is process. And ultimately, we got to a place in which the arrests had been made,” Moore said.

Wesley is accused of demanding payment from John “The Ribman” Jules, who sold barbeque ribs out of his home at 1048 Sunset Ave. Jules said he gave Wesley $1,500 in cash and $800 in food for her and her associates, according to an Oct. 3 arrest report.

Wesley is also accused of trying to shake down Yves Merzius, who police said owned UU Auto Sales at 210 SE 3rd Ave. “He stated Wesley came to the lot on several occasions and stated that she was going to report his business to code enforcement unless he paid her,” the report stated.

Both men had been subject to code enforcement complaints in the past. Jules faced complaints because of traffic jams in the neighborhood around his house as he sold rib plates for $20 apiece. Merzius told police that he had a shop but code enforcement shut it down and he was storing cars at the address in question.

Wesley was released from Palm Beach County Jail on Oct 4. after posting a $10,000 bond. The phone number listed on the police report for Wesley was disconnected. The public defender representing Wesley has not yet responded to an Oct. 19 email seeking comment.

An investigation into Wesley — who lives in Delray Beach — started in February when a fellow code enforcement officer reported her after he spoke to a family member of an alleged victim, police said. The alleged extortion and bribery took place in October 2023, according to the report.

In the police report, Wesley complains in a text message that Jules' account was frozen and that he could only pay $560. A contact phone for Jules was not included in the police report and he could not be reached for comment.

Wesley was explicit in her threats, according to the police report.

“If nothing sent tonight it ain't nothing ima be able to do to help bro 'cause I gotta pay somebody else,” she told Jules on one occasion. Police said she followed it up with a text message that said, “They sending fire department and everything tonight if the event paperwork not shown.”

Text messages between Wesley and Merzius were recovered but they did not have any payment information, according to the arrest report.

 While damage from Hurricane Milton was negligible in coastal South County, this half-sunken sailboat at Sportsman's Park Marina in Lantana was affected by its winds, crashing into the sea wall there. The photo was taken Oct. 10. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star  

By Rich Pollack

With Hurricane Milton still several hours away, the small group of Briny Breezes residents who stayed home despite being urged to evacuate weren’t about to let expected tropical force winds stand in the way of the regular Wednesday afternoon social hour.

“A bunch of us went down and watched the ocean and talked a bit” on the porch of the oceanfront clubhouse, said Briny Breezes Mayor Ted Gross. “Everyone was prepared.”

The town, like most of the other coastal communities in south Palm Beach County, saw little or no impact from Hurricane Milton, which made landfall late Wednesday near Sarasota.

“We prepared for the worst and the best happened,” said Gross, who along with several other residents of the mostly mobile home community hunkered down despite a county evacuation order.

“We have a decent amount of communication with one another,” Gross said, adding that he and other residents were ready to leave if it appeared a change in Milton’s path would have a greater chance of affecting the town.  

A boat carrying migrants beached in the 4000 block of North Ocean Boulevard in Gulf Stream on Oct. 9 ahead of Hurricane Milton making landfall on Florida's west coast. Authorities said 11 migrants were taken into custody. The boat was removed the following day. Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

Just to the south of Briny Breezes that same afternoon, Boynton Beach police and fire and other agencies responded to the arrival of a boat with refugees coming ashore.

Gulf Stream Police Chief Richard Jones said that 11 migrants were taken into custody at about 4 p.m. in the 4000 block of North Ocean Boulevard after the boat came ashore near the Ballantrae condominiums. Jones' department assisted in the effort along with other first responder agencies including Delray Beach and Ocean Ridge.

As for the hurricane's impact, Highland Beach Fire Chief Glenn Joseph said his department responded to some downed and arcing powerlines on State Road A1A, while in Delray Beach and Gulf Stream officials said damage was limited to a tree branch or two in the streets.

Boca Raton also emerged from the storm in good shape.

“All generally OK and grateful for it,” Mayor Scott Singer said in a text message.

“No major impacts at all,” said city spokeswoman Ileana Olmsted in an email.

Officials in Manalapan, Lantana and South Palm Beach reported little or no issues with beach erosion — with the storm coming from the west — or with street flooding as a result of minimal rainfall.

While much of the focus was on Milton and its winds, a tornado spawned in one of the hurricane’s outer bands was blamed for multiple deaths in a Fort Pierce-area senior mobile home community that was similar in many ways to Briny Breezes.

In Palm Beach County, other tornados caused destructive damage in parts of Wellington and Palm Beach Gardens.

About 31,000 of Florida Power & Light’s 784,000 customers in Palm Beach County remained without power as of noon Thursday, although there were no outages reported by local community leaders in the coastal south county area.

Mary Thurwachter, Jerry Lower, John Pacenti, Mary Hladky and Brian Biggane contributed to this story.

Jay Kelley (left) and his wife, Jo Bennett, help Briny Breezes resident Holly McCarthy secure her home on Oct. 8 after Palm Beach County urged evacuation for people living in mobile and manufactured homes. Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

A proposed home at 2600 N. Ocean Blvd. east of State Road A1A won a variance from the Boca Raton City Council on Oct. 8. The plans still need approval from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection before construction can begin. A larger scale proposal was rejected by the council in 2019, leading to a pair of contentious lawsuits that ended recently. Rendering provided

By Steve Plunkett

Almost six years after being denied permission to erect a duplex on the beach and 12 days after an advisory panel gave a thumbs-down to a scaled-back plan, the owners of an undeveloped parcel east of State Road A1A won their long-sought OK.

The Boca Raton City Council voted 4-1 on Tuesday, Oct. 8, to grant property owner Azure Development LLC a variance to build a single-family home on the sand east of the city’s Coastal Construction Control Line at 2600 N. Ocean Blvd.

“I feel like we’re finally being given our constitutional rights,” Azure partner Brian Grossberg said after the decision.

The lone vote against the proposal came without elaboration from Council member Andy Thomson, who also said no in February 2019.

Calling the vote “an unpleasant moment for me,” Mayor Scott Singer, who also opposed the project the first time it came before the council, noted that Azure had reduced the building size and an updated staff report said the impacts on nesting sea turtles had been reduced.

“I don’t think … going back a third time and a fourth time and getting them to negotiate down foot by foot, piece by piece is something reasonable,” he said.

More than a dozen nearby neighbors urged the council to deny the variance, with many of them arguing that Azure bought the parcel knowing that it is east of the CCCL and that, as one said, “they could never build there.”

But Azure’s attorney, Robert Sweetapple, said the CCCL did not prohibit construction seaward of the line.

“This property came with the right to seek a variance. That’s part of its bundle of rights,” he said.

The city’s Development Services Department had recommended that the variance be approved after attaching 17 conditions for Azure to meet, including that the building’s windows transmit no more than 31% of any interior lighting onto the beach, which is nesting habitat for protected sea turtles.

The home will still have four stories but will be approximately 38 feet tall and have 6,931 square feet of enclosed space, down from the originally proposed nearly 49-foot height and 14,270 square feet.

Azure must now get an OK from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection before obtaining an actual building permit from Boca Raton.

The property is one of two remaining undeveloped parcels on the beach. A federal judge in March ruled that the owner of 2500 N. Ocean Blvd two lots south of 2600 had a “vested right” to build on its property.

In August, the city and Azure agreed to pause two contentious lawsuits and to decide within 90 days whether to allow the home to go up on the beachfront.

The agreement also called for the developer and Boca Raton to pay their own attorneys’ fees and costs. Sweetapple has said the legal tab on Azure’s side is more than $1 million.