Amy and Bob DeVries contributed a gift to Boca Helping Hands that will help the nonprofit’s Food Assistance and Workforce Development programs. Photo provided

Boca Helping Hands will expand its Workforce Development and Food Assistance programs courtesy of a gift from longtime supporters Bob and Amy DeVries of Boca Raton. The donation, the amount of which is undisclosed, is to be distributed over the next five years. It will enable a special emphasis on advancing job training initiatives. 

The program already enrolled 99 students last year, with 54 successfully being hired for new jobs. The initiative, formerly known as the Job Training Program, was renamed to better reflect the scope of services provided, from training in skills and career readiness to creating paths toward sustainable employment.

Junior League seeks help with girls’ hygiene supplies

Members of the Junior League of Boca Raton period poverty committee are asking for the community’s help during Period Poverty Awareness Week, coming up May 11-17. 

The committee has donated more than 7,000 hygiene supplies to underserved girls so far this year.

“People don’t realize that underserved girls often miss several days of school each month because they don’t have sufficient hygiene supplies. This puts them behind in their education,” said Victoria Matthews, president of the Junior League of Boca Raton. 

“We need the community’s help to enable these girls to be in school every day and not have to worry about whether they have the supplies they need.”

Donate to the Junior League of Boca Raton’s Amazon Wishlist here: amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/KI5P6K79WTE2?ref_=wl_share.

Also, members of the Junior League of Boca Raton made an extra difference in the community during the organization’s ninth annual Week of Impact, March 9-14. Members donated 74 extra hours of volunteer work.

During the Week of Impact, members packed more than 14,000 period supplies for underserved girls, made 250 sandwiches for the Farm Workers Council’s after-school and spring break programs, and read to 175 kids in eight classrooms as part of the Raising Readers program.

Members volunteered in the HABCenter’s nursery, organized donated clothing and supplies and delivered them to the Child Rescue Coalition, and packed boxes of food at Boca Helping Hands for underserved kids to take home for the weekend.

Girl Scouts have profitable cookie sales this season

Girl Scout cookie season generated more than $6.3 million as thousands of girls gained business and leadership skills selling the popular line of cookies.

Of the sales total, more than $850,000 is returned directly to the troops to help support activities including community service projects, outdoor adventures, travel opportunities and leadership experiences.

The Girl Scout Cookie Program, the largest girl-led entrepreneurial program in the world, empowers girls to develop essential skills in goal-setting, money management, decision-making, people skills and business ethics. 

This year, the girls had an additional sales opportunity with the introduction of the Exploremore, a Rocky Road-inspired sandwich cookie.

The business skills the girls develop are crucial, particularly since 46% of female K-12 students in Florida do not perform on grade level in math and 13% fewer girls met grade-level math standards in the year following the pandemic, as highlighted in the Girl Scouts of Florida Association’s State of the Florida Girl Report.

“Every cookie season reminds us of the limitless potential within every Girl Scout,” said Lisa Johnson, chief executive officer of Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida.

Students at Milagro Center to receive $10,000 grant 

The nonprofit Milagro Center after-school organization in Delray Beach has been awarded a $10,000 grant to bring its sustainability vision to life.

For the past seven years, Milagro Center leader Jeaneen West has facilitated the Chick-fil-A Leader Academy, a development program that empowers students to create meaningful change in their schools and communities.

This year, participants submitted a proposal for an Impact Project centered on creating a “World Without Waste.” Their idea has been selected for funding through the Coca-Cola Sustainability Innovation Challenge, earning them a $10,000 grant to enable students to develop a calming corner and upcycled art studio. They will transform discarded material — such as plastics, cardboard and fabric — into functional items and works of art. 

The initiative will include mini-lessons focused on sustainability and the circular economy, helping peers better understand waste reduction and responsible consumption.

Cultural Council celebrates 2026 Muse Award winners

The Cultural Council for Palm Beach County held its annual “An A-Muse-ing Evening” March 5 at the newly opened The Hangar at Palm Beach International Airport, with guests walking the red carpet in stage-inspired attire. 

The awards ceremony began with the announcement of the 2026 Artist Innovation Fellowship recipients: Sonya Sanchez Arias, George Bayer, Virginia Blische, Michelle Drummond, Jill Hotchkiss, Quinn Miller, Ashley Osorio, Quimetta Perle, Elizabeth Price and Elizabeth Straight.

The professional artists each received $10,000 to pursue innovation in existing or new avenues of creative expression.

The 2026 Muse Award winners:

• The Boca Raton resort received the Outstanding Corporate Support Award.

• Florida Weekly received the Outstanding Cultural Ambassador Award.

• The Peach art collective received the Cultural Impact Award.

• Donald M. Ephraim received the Alexander W. Dreyfoos Lifetime Achievement Award.

Vertical Bridge is investing in the Delray Beach library (l-r): Alex Gellman, company executive chairman; Mykal Banta, library executive director; and Ron Bizick, company president and CEO. Photo provided

Vertical Bridge to expand library tech programs

The Delray Beach Public Library has announced a partnership with Vertical Bridge, the largest private owner and operator of wireless communications infrastructure in the United States. The company has established its new headquarters at Sundy Village in Delray Beach.

The investment from the telecom giant will strengthen some of the library’s programs, including the renovation of its STEM Lab to an enhanced STREAM (science, technology, reading, engineering, arts, math) learning program. 

The contribution also supports expansion of technology materials, tools and software; enhancements to the Lynda Hunter and Virginia Kimmel Children’s Library offerings; and other efforts that bring books and digital access directly into Delray neighborhoods. 

The 185 employees of Vertical Bridge’s headquarters will have the opportunity to serve as library ambassadors/volunteers.

“For us, connection is more than the infrastructure we build, it is a commitment to supporting organizations that uplift, empower and open doors for the people they serve,” said Kimberlee Mulhare, vice president of human resources at Vertical Bridge. “As we become part of the Delray Beach community, we are truly honored to partner with an organization making such a meaningful and lasting impact.” 

HomeSafe announces appointments to board

HomeSafe has announced the appointment of Ken Rosenberg to its board of directors and the return of Ward Kellogg, who served on the board for two decades from 2000 through 2020. Their leadership will strengthen the organization’s commitment to protecting victims of child abuse and domestic violence across South Florida.

Kellogg, of Boca Raton, is the founding chairman and chief executive officer of Paradise Bank and brings more than four decades of banking leadership to the board. He served as board president from 2004 to 2006, and helped introduce HomeSafe’s signature fundraising event, The Classic Rock & Roll Party, which will mark its 24th year in 2027.

“HomeSafe has been close to my heart for many years, and I’m incredibly proud to return to the board and continue supporting the organization’s important work,” said Kellogg. “The impact HomeSafe has on children and families in our community is truly remarkable, and I look forward to helping advance its continued growth and mission.”

Rosenberg, a retired textile executive, served as vice president of the Textile Distribution Association, and has held board leadership roles at The Falls Club. He and his wife, Maggie, are longtime supporters of HomeSafe and made a $500,000 gift to HomeSafe’s Healing the Hurt Campaign. The Community Room at the organization’s Boca Raton campus is named in their honor. They were recognized with the 2025 HomeSafe Hero Award.

“I believe we can make a difference, and there is nothing more rewarding than giving children in unfortunate situations, through no fault of their own, a chance at positive and meaningful life experiences,” Rosenberg said. 

Send news, photos and notes to Lou Ann Frala at philanthropy@thecoastalstar.com.

The Literacy Coalition of Palm Beach County hosted New York Times bestselling author Tayari Jones, who spoke to an audience of 600 book lovers. Jones’ novels include Kin (2026), An American Marriage (2018), Silver Sparrow (2011), The Untelling (2005) and Leaving Atlanta (2002). The signature fundraiser, the coalition’s 35th, raised $250,000 to benefit local literacy programs. Jones was named one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of 2026. ’We were grateful to have a sold-out crowd come together to celebrate inspired storytelling while raising awareness and funds for literacy in our community,’ said Kristin Calder, Literacy Coalition CEO. L-R: Mary Windle, Caron Dockerty, Brenda Medore, Jones, Margaret Blume, Lisa White, Sacha McGraw and Janet Donovan. Photo provided by Tracey Benson Photography

The tour welcomed nearly 900 visitors to private residences in the Lake Ida neighborhood to benefit the Achievement Centers for Children & Families. Delray Buick GMC was the presenting sponsor. Entry fees support programs that serve children and families in Delray Beach, Boynton Beach and Boca Raton. The tour raised $206,000, according to a news release, ’and exceeded all expectations,’ said Noreen Payne, co-chair of the organizing committee. ABOVE: (l-r) Kimmey Caffrey, Erin Clark Gordon, Kathy Viola, Jenny Courain and Ramy Boorom. Photo provided by Tess Graham Photography

Dianna Wynn, president of the League of Women Voters of the United States, spoke to the League of Women Voters of Palm Beach County as around 200 friends and supporters gathered for the annual fundraiser. Money raised will finance the group’s year-round voter education programs, candidate forums and advocacy efforts that have served the county since 1975. ABOVE: (l-r) Reisha Roopchand Allen, Wynn and Joyce Sullivan. Photos provided by Jacek Gancarz

Kathi Gundlach and Cathy Einhorn. 

The Dreyfoos School of the Arts Foundation hosted a celebration recognizing the school community and honoring the profound impact of Gulf Stream’s George Elmore, a longtime supporter and board member. The event was directed by honorary Chair Marti LaTour along with celebration Chairs Dolores Fernandez Alonso, Fabiola Brumley, Laurie George, Michele Jacobs, Ava Parker, Diane Quinn and Kelly Smallridge. The event also ushered in Andrew Vahab as chairman of the DSOA Foundation board, the first alumnus (communications, 2001) to have the honor. ABOVE: (l-r) Vahab, Elmore, DSOA Principal Blake Bennett and Chris Snyder. Photos provided by CAPEHART

Quinn with Danita DeHaney. 

Cindy and Ron McMackin. 

Linda and Dan Silpe.

Community members and leaders gathered for the Adolph & Rose Levis Jewish Community Center’s 15th annual Grabelsky Family Special Night for Special Needs  ’Dream Builder’ celebration. The event supports programs of the JCC’s Helene & Roy Schwedelson Special Needs Department. Event chairs were Linda and Ralph Behmoiras and Diane and Fred Fiddle. ABOVE LEFT: (l-r) Dana and Steven Clarfield, Ralph and Linda Behmoiras, Diane and Fred Fiddle, Emily Grabelsky, Cindy Bergman, Stephen Grabelsky and Marty Haberer. Photos provided by Jeffrey Tholl Photography

L-R: Heidi Cohen, Ali Landman, Erica Alster, Marli Buchalter and Lori Goldstein.

L-R: Danielle DiNapoli, Diane Fiddle, Sonia Hall, Debbie Blatt and Tracey Schwartz. 

Health professionals say Pilates (above) helps strengthen and maintain pelvic floor muscles. Although both men and women can suffer from weak pelvic floor muscles, the condition is more prevalent among women after giving birth or going through menopause. Photo provided

By Jan Engoren

Since May is Pelvic Health Awareness Month, it’s time to focus on the pelvic floor — a seldom-discussed area containing muscles that act as a sling to support internal organs such as the bladder, bowel and uterus in women.

The pelvic floor consists of a thin sheet of muscle fibers and connective tissue underneath the pelvis between the pubic bone at the front and the tailbone at the back.

For these muscles to do their job efficiently, they need to be fit and adequately toned just like any other muscle in the body.

“Just as we need to lift weights in midlife to stay strong and mobile as we age, we also need pelvic-floor strengthening activities to prevent problems with the pelvic floor in the future,” says Ashley Watts Carlow, a pelvic health physical therapist at Gloria Drummond Physical Rehabilitation Institute, part of Baptist Health in Boca Raton.

Weak or dysfunctional pelvic floor muscles can lead to various disorders such as pelvic organ prolapse, chronic pelvic pain, urinary incontinence and chronic constipation. These conditions can significantly harm quality of life. 

Weak pelvic floor can also increase your risk of injury due to instability in the pelvis and lower back.

Although caring for the pelvic floor is part of the postpartum regimen in countries such as France, in the U.S. — unless you are experiencing a problem with it from childbirth, hysterectomy, or just gravity or aging — you may not have even been aware that you have a pelvic floor.

While both men and women can suffer pelvic floor dysfunction and experience constipation or urinary incontinence, it’s most common in women when estrogen levels drop and muscle mass decreases, making the area more vulnerable to weakness and dysfunction. The Food and Drug Administration estimates that one in four U.S. women will experience a pelvic floor disorder at some point.

Disorders most commonly manifest in women between the ages of 40 and 70 when they may lose 25% of their peak muscle mass. At 75, a dramatic decline often results in the loss of around 60% of peak muscle strength and 30% of physical function, according to research conducted at Tufts University. (The source of these statistics is the Tufts University Nutrition, Exercise Physiology, and Sarcopenia Laboratory, largely popularized through the research and publications of Dr. Miriam Nelson and the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging.)

To mitigate symptoms, experts recommend eating a fiber-filled diet with whole grains, leafy greens and protein, drinking more water and less caffeine, alcohol and carbonated drinks, avoiding spicy foods, and engaging in physical exercises that can strengthen the pelvic floor such as Kegel exercises, which simulate stopping urine flow, or Pilates.

Danielle Hollander, 42, owns Remix Modern Pilates in east Boca Raton. An attorney, she practiced Pilates for 13 years before opening her own studio in 2024 and becoming an instructor. 

“It’s the best workout, both mentally and physically,” she says, noting that many women come to strengthen their core and pelvic floor.

She says the slow Pilates movements are intended to strengthen deep core muscles.  She teaches breath work to engage and lift the pelvic floor.

“Pilates is a great way to strengthen your core muscles, and the pelvic floor is part of your core,” says Hollander, a mother of two.

“Especially as we age, it’s important to keep your core strong for balance, control and strength. One of the best ways to stay strong and train the pelvic floor is with Pilates and other similar exercises.”

Sigal Goldring, 64, a former pediatrician who now owns Dr. G Med Spa specializing in aesthetic medicine in east Boca Raton, has been going to Remix and doing Pilates three times a week for the past six months.

“I love it,” she says. “I carved out time from seeing patients so I can go to Pilates class. It’s that important.”

She wants to strengthen her core and abdominal muscles, prevent any pelvic floor dysfunction and get rid of her stomach “pooch.” 

She says that as a physician, she saw many clients with pelvic floor issues and had friends her age who had issues with their bladder and pelvic floor.

“My body is looking and feeling better,” she says. “I feel stronger and more flexible. And because I delivered two children vaginally, I want to make sure I take care of my pelvic floor.”

Carlow acknowledges that pelvic floor issues are often stigmatized and rarely discussed openly. As a therapist, she focuses on reducing stress, teaching diaphragmatic breathing and helping patients regulate their nervous systems. 

She says typical patients may present with urgency, frequency, leaking, constipation, or painful intercourse and may come in once a week for six weeks, learning strategies they can continue at home. 

Exercises may include Kegels, “bridge” and “happy baby” yoga poses, squats, and the “bird dog,” where you extend opposite arms and legs while on hands and knees.

The Mayo Clinic makes this suggestion for doing Kegel exercises:  Imagine you’re sitting on a marble. Tighten your pelvic muscles as if you’re lifting the marble. Hold for three seconds and repeat three sets of 10 three times a day.

Carlow says most people see significant improvement after therapy.  

“Pelvic floor problems are a very common issue,” she says. “If you’re confronted with any of these symptoms, don’t suffer in silence. We can help.”

 Jan Engoren writes about health and healthy living. Send column ideas to jengoren@hotmail.com.

Weak pelvic floor prevention and treatment tips

• Maintain a balanced diet rich in fiber and nutrients aimed at reducing inflammation. 

• Incorporate foods rich in Omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants. 

• Avoid known triggers such as caffeine and spicy foods.

• Prioritize mental and emotional well-being.

• Engage in regular gentle exercises such as yoga and Pilates.

• Seek professional help from health care providers.

Delray Medical Center recently began using the Spiration valve system for the treatment of severe emphysema along with SeleCT screening, an AI-screening program powered by Imbio, with Dr. Stephen Milan performing the procedure. 

“We are pleased to add the Spiration valve system to our treatment options for patients with severe emphysema and SeleCT screening as a tool that may help our physicians more easily identify the patients best suited for this treatment,” said Milan. “SVS from Olympus gives pulmonologists at Delray Medical Center an additional treatment alternative for this underserved patient population. Meaningful improvement in breathing can mean fuller lives for our patients.”

FAU researchers aid study of young kids, screen time

In a new study, researchers at Florida Atlantic University and Aarhus University in Denmark studied 546 4- to 5-year-old children from 24 child care centers in Denmark for six months. They measured their language skills, behavior and the amount of time the children spent watching screens alone. 

The study findings, published in the journal Research on Child and Adolescent Psychopathology, found that spending screen time alone made behavior problems worse for children with poor communication skills and weak vocabularies. 

The results highlighted the importance of the home learning environment and showed that time spent alone with a screen does not replace helpful social interactions with parents and peers.

JFK Hospital part of group receiving award for safety 

HCA Florida Healthcare announced that 36 of its hospitals, including JFK Hospital in Atlantis, received the 2026 Patient Safety Excellence Award from Healthgrades, placing the network among the top 10% nationwide for patient safety. 

FAU scientists determine how brain disease worsens

Huntington’s disease is an inherited brain illness where a harmful protein builds up and moves from one brain cell to another. Over the course of 10 to 20 years, this causes worsening movement problems, thinking difficulties and mood issues. There’s no cure now; current treatments only ease symptoms. 

In a new study published in Science Advances, Florida Atlantic University scientists and collaborators have found how the bad protein spreads: Brain cells make tiny tube-like bridges to pass it along. The team discovered that two proteins, called Rhes and SLC4A7, work together to form those bridges. When researchers blocked this in lab cells in mice, the protein spread much less.

This points to a new way to try to slow or stop Huntington’s disease.

— Christine Davis

Yasmina Lowther, a server at Barcelona Wine Bar, pours white sangria directly into Stephanie Kozacka’s mouth while Kozacka enjoys a girls night out with friends. The restaurant is located in the new Sundy Village complex at the corner of Atlantic and Swinton avenues in Delray Beach. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

By Jan Norris

Barcelona Wine Bar opened in downtown Delray Beach with little fanfare in January, but it has gained a following with its unusual Spanish flair.

The spot in Sundy Village at 22 W. Atlantic Ave. brings a different flavor of Mediterranean food to an area some say is over-saturated with Italian.

Traditional tapas — found in Spain’s many bars — make for sharing plates. 

A large list of charcuteries that includes domestic and imported ham, sausages and cheeses allows diners to mix and match.

Roasted vegetables and meats are on the tapas list, with a spinach and chickpea cazuela, eggplant caponata, mushrooms, roasted cauliflower and artichoke hummus among the selections.

Shrimp, anchovies on potato chips (boquerones), mussels, a tuna crudo and salmon a la plancha are among the seafood bites. Spiced beef empanadas, pork belly, ham and cheese croquetas, and wagyu beef carpaccio are presented with pepper or tomato sauces and mojo seasonings.

For heartier plates, the menu has chicken pimientos, whole roasted branzino, a choice of three paellas, and a steak, chicken, pork and sausage combo.

Spanish and Portuguese wines along with special sherries are available in wine flights; choose from a comprehensive list. 

Cocktails include special gin and tonic selections. There’s a spirits section for neat sipping. Beer is mostly domestic with a few imports. Sangrias are house made.

Diners can choose to eat at the bar, indoors, or on the patio starting at 3 p.m. (11:30 a.m. brunch on weekends). Barcelona Wine Bar serves until midnight Sunday through Thursday, and 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday.

Happy hour is 3-5 p.m. Monday-Friday. 561-501-0300; barcelonawinebar.com/location/delray-beach

•

Duffy’s Sports Grill in Delray Beach ended a 17-year run at its spot on Federal Highway, but the site will remain a restaurant.

It will flip from a beer and burger bar to a Napa Valley winery vibe as Cooper’s Hawk, a blend of restaurant, wine bar, tasting room and wine club. 

Plans are to demolish the building and build a stand-alone space at 1750 S. Federal Highway. Opening is planned sometime during fall or winter.

The chain of 72 restaurants that began in Orland Park, Illinois, is scattered across the country. Delray Beach marks the third in Palm Beach County, with others in Wellington and Palm Beach Gardens, and numerous others in Florida.

The restaurant also serves as a wine society, with club membership, tastings and special events centered on Cooper’s Hawk Wines. These are produced at the company’s winery in Illinois from grapes brought in from around the world.

The wines are available for purchase in the tasting room, and members get discounts on carry-out foods, as well as bottles. Special releases are offered to members exclusively.

In the dining room, the modern American menu designed for wine pairings is served for lunch and dinner, and a wine suggestion is posted for each dish.

Standards are on the main menu, with a long list of appetizers ranging from Asian-inspired potstickers and lettuce wraps to Southwest egg rolls and Italian sausage and burrata.

Entrees satisfy the grill lover, with steaks and chops, seafood and chicken. Burgers, soups and chopped salads round out the list. 

A rich dessert menu is designed for more wine pairings.

“Life balance” selections are found for both food and wine, with lower-calorie foods and cocktails with less alcohol for those who want to “sip mindfully.” Also on the menu are nonalcoholic choices including sparkling wines, and a list of iced specialty coffees.

A brunch menu served weekends, 11 a.m. until 2 p.m., has a few shareables (salted caramel doughnuts, or a bacon and egg pizza), and other breakfast items. Mimosas or house-made brunch sangria is $5.

Happy hour, dubbed Wine o’Clock, is from 3 to 5:30 p.m. with a separate menu of appetizers, wines and cocktails.

A private room is available for booking.

For more details, go online to chwinery.com.

•

Lantana Pizza, a 27-year local favorite, has closed.

Owners Dino and Fatime Ismajli are retiring and posted a heartfelt goodbye on their Facebook page to loyal fans who “became family,” offering them “one last meal, one last slice, one last drink.”

Their fans flooded the page with stories and memories.

The mom-and-pop place serving New York-style pizza at 467 Greynolds Circle started as a takeout pizza place nearby. It became a fixture at its current location in a strip mall adjacent to the former Kmart property, serving locals and beach-going tourists as well.

The restaurant had a full bar and event room and had live music certain nights.

Lantana Pizza is scheduled for demolition to make way for Lantana Village Square, a mixed-use development that will bring 426 apartments to the property. 

The pizza restaurant had plans to move to a new location in the development before the Ismajlis decided to retire.

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

Capt. Billy Springer and Rob Grieper hold a big black grouper that Grieper caught fishing on a wreck off South Florida. Grouper season opened May 1 in Atlantic waters. Photo provided

By Steve Waters

May is a special month for many South Florida anglers and divers because the seasons for grouper and hogfish open on May 1.

The grouper season in Atlantic waters has been closed since Jan. 1 and the hogfish season closed on Nov. 1 in local waters. 

Both species have restrictive bag and size limits. Black and gag grouper must measure at least 24 inches, and red grouper must be 20 inches. Anglers and divers can keep a total of three grouper per day, but only one can be a black or a gag. The other two, or all three, can be reds. 

The limit on hogfish is one per person per day with a minimum size limit of 16 inches measured from the tip of the nose to the fork of the tail. 

Spearfishers hunting for black and gag grouper must react quickly when they see the fish. Unlike hogfish and red grouper, which often try to hide behind a sea fan when a diver approaches, blacks and gags don’t usually stick around.

This month, a good spearfishing location is the west-facing side of the third reef off Palm Beach County. The top of the reef is about 50 feet below the surface, and the bottom is 60-65 feet. The reef holds a lot of fish, including keeper-sized grouper and hogfish. Wrecks in 65 feet also are good spots to shoot big grouper and hogfish. 

Capt. Skip Dana of Deerfield Beach fishes wrecks from 75-240 feet for grouper. The GPS coordinates for Florida’s artificial reefs are available at myfwc.com/media/19397/artificialreefdeploymentlocations.pdf.

Dana noted that wrecks in 75-120 feet are good for gag grouper. Blacks are on the same wrecks as well as deeper ones. Reds can be as shallow as 30-40 feet around rockpiles, ledges and grass patches, and on wrecks.

Lantana Fishing Derby

The Greater Lantana Chamber of Commerce has its 31st annual Greater Lantana Fishing Derby on June 6 out of the Old Key Lime House in Lantana.

The captain’s party is 5:30-8 p.m. June 4 at the Old Key Lime House. Fishing is two days later, with the weigh-in, which is open to the public, at the Old Key Lime House.

Also on June 6 is a Kids Fishing Derby at the Lake Worth Beach Pier from 8:30 to 11 a.m. Lunch and prizes will follow.

The awards party is noon-4 p.m. June 7 at the Lantana Recreation Center. In addition to kingfish, dolphin and wahoo, a snapper category has been added with a top prize of $500.

The early entry fee is $250. After May 23 the entry fee is $350. Proceeds of the event help support local nonprofits and youth programs. Visit lantanachamber.com/lantana-fishing-derby.

Hospice KDW Shootout

The 16th annual Hospice KDW Shootout Charity Fishing Tournament benefiting Trustbridge Hospice Foundation of Palm Beach County has extra meaning this year.

One of the biggest supporters of the tournament, which is June 13, was Sail Inn former owner Rick Janke. 

He was manager of the bar for 10 years and then bought and owned it for 21 years before selling it in 2019.

The Shootout’s emcee, Janke died in October while in hospice care, according to tournament director Mike Goodridge. 

The entry fee is $300 per boat. The boat catching the biggest fish of the event receives half of the total entry fee. 

In last year’s tournament, which raised $11,000 for Trustbridge, the boat Reel Love caught the biggest fish, a 29.54-pound dolphin.

In addition, the Shootout pays out for the three biggest fish in each of three categories — kingfish, dolphin and wahoo — with $1,000 for first, $600 for second and $300 for third. 

The biggest fish in the dolphin category last year was a 12.06-pounder caught by Team Hurricane. Frozen Assets had the biggest kingfish at 19.66 pounds and Last Call had the biggest wahoo at 20.26 pounds.

The captain’s meeting is 4:30-7:30 p.m. June 11 at Sail Inn, 657 George Bush Blvd., Delray Beach. The weigh-in is at the Palm Beach Yacht Center at 7848 S. Federal Highway in Hypoluxo. Contact Goodridge at 561-703-1907.

Outdoors writer Steve Waters can be reached at steve33324@aol.com.

ABOVE: A dog and owner take in the scenery at Mounts Botanical Garden at a recent Dogs Day in the Garden event. BELOW: These three take a respite on a bench surrounded by the dog-safe plants at the garden. Photos providedBy Arden Moore

Whether you were born with a green thumb or regard yourself as a late bloomer, one safe strategy is to factor your dog into your gardening decisions.

Your garden and lawn could be harboring hidden dangers to your dog. That’s why it is so important to carefully select plants and even your mulch. Otherwise, you could be making an urgent trip to the emergency veterinary clinic.

If you are unsure about garden safety, I encourage you to leash up your well-mannered canine pal on May 10 and head to the Mounts Botanical Garden in West Palm Beach.

One Sunday every month, this popular garden destination hosts the Dogs Day in the Garden event that enables dogs of all sizes, ages and breeds to sniff, strut and explore. It sure beats that same-old daily walk they may take in your neighborhood.

You can also have a great opportunity to speak with horticulturists and master gardeners who can offer ways to keep your home garden safe for your dog.

As a master certified pet first aid/CPR instructor for the past 15 years, I often pass on garden safety tips to my students from such experts, as well as from veterinary toxicologists and ER veterinarians.

Let’s start with what mulch to select and what to avoid. The two most dangerous mulches for dogs are cocoa mulch and rubber mulch. Cocoa mulch contains high levels of theobromine, which is toxic to dogs. This chocolate-smelling mulch can prompt curious dogs to paw and swallow pieces in your gardens. 

Dogs can vomit, experience rapid heart rates, seizures and even death from ingesting cocoa mulch. 

A pooch enjoys a special treat.

Rubber mulch can appeal to some gardeners because it contains no splinters and does not decompose. However, the heat of the South Florida sun on this mulch can cause severe burns to your dog’s paws. A curious dog who swallows rubber mulch can suffer from intestinal blockages that may require surgery.

Instead, select these safer mulches for your dog’s sake: cedar, pine bark and pine needle. These are natural and contain no toxic materials that are found in cocoa and rubber mulches. An added benefit to cedar mulch is that it can act as a natural repellent for fleas, ticks and mosquitos.

As for dog-safe plants? Mounts Botanical Garden’s Mark Jerrett, who formerly  operated the nursery, lists these Florida natives on display there:  tickseed; beach sunflower; sunshine mimosa; native firebush; coontie;  lavender porterweed. “Zinnias, cosmos and pentas are also other safe plants we have here at the garden,” he adds.

Michelle Miles, horticultural supervisor at Mounts, shares this caution: “I have seen dogs with issues with eating palm seeds. Not all palm seeds are toxic, but they can cause blockages in their intestines. I always recommend leaving the blooms of the palms as they are beneficial for pollinators, but once the transition to seeds begins, go ahead and cut the stalks off.” 

The ASPCA Poison Control Center, staffed 24/7 by veterinary toxicologists, posts a database of all plants that are safe and unsafe for pets. Check out the list online here: aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/dogs-plant-list.  

And, if you have a gotta-dig dog and want to save your garden beds, consider using raised beds out of paws’ reach. Then divert your dog to his own digging spot in your yard.

Dig a pit or use a plastic kiddie pool and fill it with sand or soft soil. Then entice your dog to explore and dig by stashing hidden treasures, such as doggy toys or treats.

Now that’s a win-win for your garden and your dog.

Arden Moore is an author, pet podcast show host and master certified pet first aid instructor. Check out petfirstaid4u.com and ardenmoore.com.

If You Go

What: The monthly Dogs Day in the Garden at Mounts Botanical Garden

When: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 10

Where: 531 N. Military Trail, West Palm Beach

Cost: Free for dogs and Mounts Botanical Garden members; $5 for non-members.

More info: 561-233-1757; learn about all special events at mounts.org/events.

Cantor Lori Brock, retiring after 29 years of service, is featured in Temple Beth El’s quarterly publication. Photo provided

By Janis Fontaine

If not for a tragedy, we might be celebrating Lori Brock for her achievements on the stage. Instead, we’re celebrating her 29 years serving Temple Beth El in Boca Raton. 

In 1991, the young actress was on her way to audition for a Long John Silver’s fast-food commercial with her husband, actor Larry Belkin, when a car accident on Interstate 95 killed him and left Lori a widow with two young children under 4. 

“The person who helped me from my car was a retired person from the Israeli army,” she said by phone. “I remember looking up into the sky and I said, God, I am not prepared for this. Just show me what to do.”

She stood alone on the side of the road, cars whizzing by, the worst day of her life, asking for God’s help. Two thoughts came to mind: “Thank God my children weren’t in the car.” Her second thought: “I really am a woman of faith.”

Lori and Larry had joined Temple Beth El in 1991 as a young married couple. Their work as performers kept them busy on many Friday nights, but they still felt at home there. A call to the synagogue after the accident brought clergy members running. 

“Rabbi Singer came off the golf course and sat with me, and Ann Turnoff, the cantor, came to the house. The sisterhood brought dinner,” Cantor Lori said. The accident “really made me dig deep and find faith. After, it seemed like a career in theater and commercials wasn’t going to be fulfilling enough.” 

Cantor Ann offered her a path that would prove not just healing but life-changing. She asked Lori to sing at a bar mitzvah. Cantor Lori says she was more nervous than the student, but she knew from that moment that this was her calling. “This met my need to find purpose in my life, to find deep meaning, and to heal. To have a community like Temple Beth El was unbelievable.”

Rabbi Dan Levin remembers hearing Cantor Lori sing for the first time: “It wasn’t just the quality of her voice. It was the energy and the spirit behind it.” 

Cantor Lori explains: “Music facilitates the prayer. Music is the pathway for the words. It helps people pray and it enhances their prayers. Music touches the soul where words can’t.”

She became a cantorial soloist in 1997 and served as assistant cantor soon after, learning on the job from Cantor Ann and filling in until after Stephen Dubov died in 2006. After searching for another cantor, the synagogue agreed she was the best choice. She worked closely with Rabbi Levin and studied on her own, but she didn’t become ordained or certified until 2016 when she completed her coursework at the Debbie Friedman School of Sacred Music at Hebrew Union College.

Once committed to her new vocation, Cantor Lori worked closely with the rabbis to make Temple Beth El even more welcoming and accessible, to make her congregation members an active part of prayer and worship, using music as a tool to reach them. She saw herself as a conduit for the people, helping them to establish a deeper relationship with both God and their synagogue. Cantor Lori didn’t just sing and pray for people; she encouraged them to sing and pray for themselves. 

Cantor Lori encouraged Passover seders infused with music from Broadway to Billy Joel and was the force behind many of the most innovative Shabbat experiences. She created programs such as Chanukah Under the Stars, which has helped build the temple’s local reputation, along with Friends of Music and the Arts, a cultural program that uses the arts to bring people to worship. 

“We feel there are a lot of portals of entry to finding spirituality. Some people like to attend services. Some people will be moved by a film or a concert or an author. We try to create a balanced season of cultural events so that people can be inspired by Judaism through the arts. We’ve had some incredible art exhibitions in the synagogue,” she said, adding that this pet project is one she’ll continue to work during retirement. 

Retirement — she’s only 65 but she’s been doing this almost half her life — is a blessing for which she appears prepared.  

“Mostly I will be in the congregation enjoying watching my colleagues lead worship. But I’m going to teach, and I’m going to officiate at weddings and funerals.” 

She’s also going to lead kosher wine tastings at exotic locations combined with studies about Judaism in the locality. Recently in Portugal, she got to worship in centuries-old synagogues. 

Michelle Auslander Cohen, senior cantorial associate, and Chris Mason, cantorial soloist, will succeed Cantor Lori, who  hopes through her example she’s helped others have a more personal relationship with God. 

“I walk around talking to God all day, and I feel such a sense of safety knowing that I’m not living life alone, that the Holy One is here with me, and I want to show people how to find that relationship. Even if they don’t believe in God, that there’s something beyond them to trust and have faith in,” she said. 

“Each day is an opportunity to find goodness, to do something good with your life, to make your day count. You can choose to be happy. It’s just teaching people to try to look at things in an optimistic way and to have faith; to know we are part of a strong people, a people who believe in good moral choices and making the world better for other people. 

“I think the lesson to be learned is that even in the darkest times, there’s a light. Let that little bit of light guide you, give you hope, and give you faith that things will get better.” 

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

Service to honor Cantor Lori Brock

A special Shabbat Evening Service honoring Cantor Lori Brock will take place at 7:30 p.m. May 15 at Temple Beth El’s Schaefer Family Campus, 333 SW Fourth Ave., Boca Raton. Everyone is invited to honor Cantor Lori as she transitions to Cantor Emerita and to celebrate with a special Oneg. The service is available for livestreaming; find the link at tbeboca.org/event/shabbat-evening-services-honoring-cantor-lori-brock/

At dress rehearsal for the B’nai Mitzvah are (l-r, back row) Cantor Paul Goldstein, Mel Reingold, Saul Schildhorn, Elliot Packer, Jerry Deener, Jack Shaicovitz and (l-r, front) Ed Williams, Jewel Prince, Charlotte Temple, Sondra Rose, Claire Zimmers, Ron Weiner and Rabbi Evan Susman. Photo provided

On April 11, people ranging in age from 82 to 88 at B’nai Torah Congregation in Boca Raton celebrated a milestone typically reserved for teenagers — becoming a B’nai Mitzvah.

For some, it was their second time marking the occasion. For others, it was a new experience. The group is part of B’nai Torah’s “Eight-Three Club,” now in its fourth year, designed to give older adults the opportunity to study the Torah and celebrate this meaningful coming-of-age ritual at any age. 

B’nai Torah is at 6261 SW 18th St. Call 561-392-8566 or visit btcboca.org.

St. Paul’s Episcopal to host Masterworks concerts

The Delray String Quartet has two concerts in May at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. At 3 p.m. May 3, “Masterworks 4” features duos, trios and quartets performing a repertoire of salon music. At 3 p.m. May 24, “Masterworks 5” features Dvořák: Piano Quintet No. 2 in A Major, Op. 81 and Schumann: String Quartet No. 1 in A Minor, Op. 41, No. 1.

General admission is $35, preferred seating is $50. St. Paul’s is at 188 S. Swinton Ave., Delray Beach.

Get tickets at ticketor.com/delraystringquartet; email concerts@delraystringquartet.com or call 561-808-5084. 

Tapestries of Life choir to sing at Temple Beth El

The Temple Beth El choir Tapestries of Life will perform “A Celebration of Love, Laughter and Spirit” from 3 to 4:30 p.m. May 3 at the Schaefer Family Campus, 333 SW Fourth Ave., Boca Raton. The program features selections from Broadway shows plus folk and pop classics. The concert is free but registration is required at tbeboca.shulcloud.com/event/tapestries-of-life-choir-concert-a-celebration-of-love-life-and-spirit.html.

Church set to host monthly CityLead Boca meeting 

Boca Raton Community Church hosts CityLead Boca from noon to 1 p.m. May 7 at the church at 470 NW Fourth Ave. This monthly event for the business community is designed to inspire leaders to use their influence to serve others and transform the city. Reservations are recommended. $20 includes lunch. Doors open at 11:30 a.m. 561-395-2400; citylead.com.

Master Chorale to perform ’Heaven & Earth’

The Master Chorale of South Florida will perform “Heaven & Earth,” a multimedia experience highlighting the beauty and fragility of the natural world, at 8 p.m. May 17 at St. Gregory’s Episcopal Church, 100 NE Mizner Blvd., Boca Raton. The evening features “Mass for the Endangered” by Sarah Kirkland Snider, written as “a love letter to the natural world,” she said. It’s also a prayer for and a call to action to save the disappearing species of animals and the imperiled environments in which they live.

The Chorale also presents the world premiere of a Marques Garrett piece, “The Sky Remembers,” about the unique flora and fauna of South Florida. 

Tickets are $40, $60 preferred seating, at masterchoraleofsouthflorida.org.

Choir of St. Gregory’s to perform Choral Evensong 

Choral Evensong, a performance of beautiful and time-honored liturgies rich in history and tradition, will take place at 6 p.m. May 24 in the sanctuary at St. Gregory’s Episcopal Church, 100 NE Mizner Blvd., Boca Raton. The Choir of St. Gregory’s performs under the direction of Tim Brumfield, director of music, organist and choirmaster. 561-395-8285; stgregorysepiscopal.org 

Temple Beth El offers ’A Taste of Judaism’

A three-week introductory course led by Temple Beth El rabbis explores what is “delicious about Judaism: our faith, our customs and our community.”

“A Taste of Judaism” meets from 7 to 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday May 20, 27 and June 3. The course is a good introduction for interfaith couples, in-laws of Jews, unaffiliated Jews and individuals exploring conversion. 

It is available both in person at the Schaefer Family Campus, 333 SW Fourth Ave., Boca Raton, and virtually on Zoom. The course is free, but registration is requested. Register online at tbeboca.shulcloud.com/event/taste-of-judaism1.html. Contact Aileen Spilka at ASpilka@tbeboca.org with any questions.

Yoga programs offered at church and synagogue 

St. Gregory’s Episcopal, 100 NE Mizner Blvd., Boca Raton, offers two programs that combine movement and prayer. At 4 p.m. May 14, Yoga and Sacred Movement mixes gentle stretching movements and breath work with reflection on scripture and prayer. The program is led by parishioner and yoga instructor Daphne Lombardo under the direction of the Rev. Dr. Robyn Neville. Bring your own yoga mat and water.

At 4 p.m. May 23, join YogaMass in St. Mary’s Chapel, a combination of graceful yoga, words of faith and contemplative meditation with Neville and the Rev. Elizabeth Pankey-Warren leading. Bring your yoga mat and water. Call 561-395-8285 or email rneville@st-gregorys.com. 

Temple Beth El offers “Integrating Mussar and Movement,” led by Rabbi Amy Pessah and yoga instructor Amy Appel, at 6:30 p.m. May 14 at the Schaefer Family Campus, 333 SW Fourth Ave., Boca Raton.

It blends the physical discipline of yoga with the spiritual wisdom of Mussar, a Jewish ethical practice focused on personal growth and character development.Sessions focus on a human attribute such as perseverance, generosity, awe or orderliness and explore how to cultivate it through mindful movement and breath work that nurture the mind, body and spirit.

Bring a yoga mat. Register at tbeboca.org/event/mussar-and-movement-2025/2026-05-14/ or call 561-391-8900.  

Also at Temple Beth El is Beth El Circles. Appel leads a members-only session of rejuvenating chair yoga twice a month at the Schaefer Family Campus. This gentle practice for all levels improves balance, mobility and flexibility. It is also a way to relax, recharge and connect with other members. No mat needed. Chairs provided. Classes meet at 10:45 a.m. on May 12 and 26 and June 9 and 23. Free, but registration is required at tbeboca.org/event/beth-el-circles-chair-yoga-7/ or call 561-391-8900.

St. Lucy seeking donations for new vestments

St. Lucy Catholic Church in Highland Beach needs new vestments.

Father Brian Horgan and Father Giuseppe Savaia sent out an appeal for two complete sets in the four liturgical colors at a cost of about $30,000. Donations begin at $5,000, and each vestment will be tastefully embroidered in honor of the donor or a loved one. Contact the Parish Office at 561-278-1280, ext. 2.

— Janis Fontaine

American Heritage Schools announced that 11 of its graduating students from the Delray Beach campus were named semifinalists for the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program.

Established in 1964, this program recognizes students for their academic achievement, artistic excellence, leadership and commitment to service.

Each year, approximately 500 students are selected as semifinalists from across the country. From those, the White House Commission on Presidential Scholars will select 161 students to receive the U.S. Presidential Scholar Medallion, which will be presented in June during a White House-sponsored ceremony in Washington, D.C.

Saint Andrew’s School senior Sabrina Greenberg (right) and her business partner, Ellie Dwyer, have been selling their hair ties at Boca Chamber business expos. Photo provided

By Faran Fagen

Before Sabrina Greenberg won the Pearl Award from the Boca Chamber’s Young Entrepreneurs Academy, she was an underclassman watching Shark Tank when a light bulb went on inside her head.

Or rather on top of her hair.

Greenberg, a senior at Saint Andrew’s and captain of the girls tennis team, was tired of seeing plastic and polyester hair ties discarded on the ground. She came across a statistic: 15 million hair ties are thrown away every day in the United States.

She vowed to change that by co-founding EcoLoops, a company that produces biodegradable hair ties designed to reduce environmental waste. She began selling them at Boca Chamber business expos.

“By creating a line of biodegradable hair ties, I hope EcoLoops can reduce plastic and polyester waste,” said Greenberg, who lives in eastern Boca Raton. 

Greenberg, 17, was named the 2026 Pearl Award recipient at the Diamond Award Luncheon in Boca Raton on Feb. 20. The Pearl Award is an honor given to a young woman who is a graduate of the Boca Chamber’s Young Entrepreneurs Academy.

During her time in YEA, a guest speaker left a lasting impression by speaking not about profits or strategy, but about the importance of how leaders treat others. The message that lasting success depends on respect, trust, and making people feel seen and valued became a guiding principle for Greenberg and shaped her approach to leadership.

Through YEA, Greenberg and her business partner, senior Ellie Dwyer, co-founded EcoLoops and began working with a manufacturer to produce the ties. Rooted in the belief that small, everyday choices can create meaningful change, EcoLoops reflects Greenberg’s commitment to help both people and the environment. 

Greenberg was among the first cohort of the Boca Chamber Youth Committee and served as the first-ever vice president. She began this role in late 2024 and will serve until she graduates May 23. 

“Our goal is to inspire and engage with youth entrepreneurs in the Boca Raton community,” Greenberg said.

The committee meets regularly, discussing business news, hearing from guest speakers, sharing ideas, and planning youth events through the Boca Chamber. 

Greenberg and crew reserve a table at the Boca Chamber business expos where they share their mission with businesspeople in Boca Raton and gain notice.

One event they’re brainstorming for the future is a youth roundtable discussion where participants will share with like-minded peers a business idea or something else about which they are passionate.

“This experience has allowed me to become more involved in the youth business community in Boca, exposed me to new perspectives on current business-related events, and fostered camaraderie with like-minded peers,” Greenberg said.

Through engaging young entrepreneurs, Greenberg has done extensive work with Breakthrough Miami, where she supports and mentors more than 120 students. She volunteered during her sophomore and junior years, was offered a teaching fellow position in the summer program (a full-time position for six weeks) and is now employed as a Success Coach. 

As a teaching fellow, she assisted scholars through tutoring, leading lessons, and helping them navigate high school options.

Also via Breakthrough, she shared her experiences by teaching business and personal finance electives. Scholars discussed ideas and learned how to create a business plan, to invest, and to personally budget. 

She says her family — mom Nicole, dad Cory and sister Jayden — support the EcoLoops initiative.

Greenberg, whose grades are in the top 10% of the Saint Andrew’s senior class, plans to attend Emory University in Atlanta to study political science and business on a prelaw track. She aspires to one day establish a women-owned law firm that dedicates part of its work to providing pro bono services for underserved women.

She plans to pause EcoLoops while she’s away, “while I focus on my studies and continue researching ways to improve the product and its sustainability.”

“I’m really proud of what I’ve built so far, and I hope to potentially relaunch EcoLoops in the future with an even stronger model and broader impact.”

Her advice for young entrepreneurs: “Make your own opportunities instead of waiting for them, take risks, learn from failure, and stay consistent.

“People are what make a business thrive, so making those around you feel seen and heard is essential to building strong, successful relationships.” 

Steps from the beach, this Ocean Ridge estate is a perfect backdrop to artwork of every sort, indoors and out. It has 5,054 square feet of living area, was built in 2018 and was designed with floor-to-ceiling impact glass (all windows and doors) for a light, bright ambience and a seamless connection to nature. There are five bedrooms, four full baths and one half-bath.  

An open floor plan in the main wing places the family room, dining room and kitchen adjacent to the pool and patio, complete with summer kitchen and barbecue.

On the first floor, the center-island chef’s kitchen is finished with contemporary cabinetry, stainless-steel professional-grade appliances and a wall of sliding doors that lead to the loggia. Also in this wing are a guest bedroom suite with a private patio, a powder room and laundry. Set apart in a wing of its own is the stunning primary suite. It comprises a large bedroom with sliding doors that open to the side yard, two custom-fitted walk-in closets, and a magnificent stone-clad bathroom with dual sinks, a huge shower and a lounge tub. 

On the second floor, in a split-bedroom plan, the VIP bedroom suite is placed strategically and separately from the other guest bedrooms. The home is entirely integrated with Smart Home technology.

Offered at $4,690,000. 

Enjoy inviting indoor/outdoor entertaining in the hedged back yard with outdoor shower. The covered loggia, wrapped within an expansive deck, overlooks the 55-foot pool with a sun shelf and a stone feature wall with soothing fountain sprays.

Contact Betty and Cole Devitt, Premier Estate Properties, 900 E. Atlantic Ave., Suite #4, Delray Beach, FL 33483. 561-926-0125. Betty@Premierestateproperties.com, Cole@Premierestateproperties.com.

By Jane Musgrave

Hired in November to work the same magic in Boynton Beach as he did decades ago to revitalize Atlantic Avenue in Delray Beach, Community Redevelopment Agency Director Chris Brown resigned in April after an investigation found he verbally and physically accosted his staff.

Boynton Beach city commissioners, who also serve as the board of the CRA, made no comments about Brown’s abrupt departure or the incident that led to it. At a meeting on April 14, they simply accepted his resignation, terminated the $400,000-a-year contract with Brown’s company and turned his duties over to City Manager Dan Dugger indefinitely.

Brown’s departure continues the revolving door in the CRA’s C-suite that began in 2021 when Michael Simon left after five years at the helm. The CRA hired Thuy Shutt to replace Simon, then fired her in 2023 and named Tim Tack interim director, a position he held until Brown's hiring.

Brown's departure also comes as the CRA is juggling various multimillion-dollar projects, including the redevelopment of the recently purchased Inn at Boynton Beach property and other sites along Boynton Beach Boulevard, the expansion of Harvey E. Oyer Jr. Park along the Intracoastal Waterway, and the rebuilding of the city’s perpetually sagging downtown. It was talking about floating a $30 million bond issue to buy more land.

Brown’s resignation came five days after top CRA staff complained that he repeatedly dropped the f-bomb and used other obscenities to express his frustrations with their work.

Tack, now the assistant CRA director, said Brown, 85, entered his office on April 9 and called him a “f***ing loser.”

“You need to man up and take f***ing control, you have been the g**damn executive director for two years,” Brown told Tack, according to an investigation by employment law attorney David Gobeo. Brown then poked Tack in the chest with both hands.

When Finance Director Vicki Hill entered Tack’s office to try to calm Brown, he told her, “This is a f***ing private conversation,” and pushed her from the office, Gobeo wrote.

In a four-page report he sent commissioners on April 14, Gobeo concluded that Brown’s conduct violated CRA policy and caused employees to fear for their safety. Discipline, including termination, was warranted, he wrote. There's no indication in the report that Brown was interviewed.

On the same day, Brown submitted his resignation. Instead of addressing the allegations, he blasted the organization, saying its finances were in shambles, and called the work environment “hostile.”

He claimed the agency lacked important financial controls. He said he was repeatedly denied key reports, such as accounts payable, and was rebuffed when he tried to create “a clearer, more understandable budget.”

The agency, he claimed, has lost millions by keeping $30 million in a low interest-bearing checking account instead of investing it in a state fund where it would earn more money.

He said his company, Redevelopment Management Associates, had built a good reputation for helping revitalize cities across the state since he formed it in 2009 after leaving his job as executive director of Delray Beach’s CRA.

“We cannot, however, continue to operate effectively under circumstances marked by hostility, withheld information, and misrepresented facts,” he said. “For the protection of public resources and the long-term success of Boynton Beach’s redevelopment goals, it is best that we part ways.”

Neither Brown nor Dugger returned phone calls seeking comment.

However, it appears the city took his claims seriously. Dugger dispatched Alan Lawson, the city’s chief financial officer, to review the CRA’s books.

During a preliminary analysis, Lawson said he found serious lapses in some of the CRA’s internal controls, particularly the use of a credit card that allows employees to make business-related purchases without going through the purchase order process.

The CRA doesn’t have policies that establish spending limits for the so-called p-cards or to prohibit the use of the cards for such items as gift cards or alcohol. It doesn’t have a system to track how many cards are circulating among staff, he told the CRA board at a meeting on April 21.

Lawson said he planned to spend two weeks auditing the books to “identify, document, and quantify any irregularities” and put controls in place to eliminate the chance for fraud in the future.

The task won’t be easy, he said. Normally, such audits take three months. He said he was planning to complete his work in 10 days. “I’m not going to be getting any sleep in the next two weeks,” he said.

Commissioner Mack McCray balked at Lawson’s use of the word “fraud.” Lawson agreed the word could be misconstrued and agreed to substitute the word “risk.”

He said a similar exercise was done to ensure city finances were in order. Commissioners agreed the process was routine.

“We’re just instilling policies for the way tax money is treated to make the CRA the same as the city,” Commissioner Thomas Turkin said. “It’s important to have guidelines in place.”

From the start, the selection of Brown’s firm to run the CRA wasn’t fully embraced by commissioners. It was an unprecedented move for the city, which had always simply hired someone to run the agency. But after two years of looking, their search turned up no one.

At a meeting in November to finalize Brown’s contract, Commissioner Aimee Kelley voiced concern about the $400,000 a year the firm was charging — far more than the city manager’s $273,000 annual paycheck.

Commissioners also balked at Brown’s request to be allowed to spend up to $75,000 without their OK. Instead, they said he could spend $10,000.

Dugger sought to allay their concerns. The city was getting the advantages of the firm’s extensive knowledge about redevelopment through its work for other cities, such as Pompano Beach, he said.

He likened it to hiring an outside law firm instead of hiring an in-house attorney.

“What we’re missing now is trust and the only way we gain trust is through time,” he said.

Ultimately, the decision to hire Brown was unanimous. To show his city spirit, Brown donned a baseball cap with Boynton’s logo on it.

“Welcome aboard,” Mayor Rebecca Shelton said. “We’re going to work you to death.”

A 77-year-old Highland Beach resident died on Saturday, April 4, while swimming alone in rough surf near his home.

Highland Beach police said Samual Lang had been swimming in the ocean by himself in the 4000 block of South Ocean Boulevard when he was discovered unresponsive by beachgoers who ran to help.

Highland Beach Fire Rescue paramedics took the swimmer to Delray Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

A high risk of life-threatening rip currents was in effect at the time, but police said it was not immediately known if that was a factor since a final cause of death has not been determined.

Following the death, Highland Beach officials say they are exploring steps to ensure residents are better informed of beach conditions.

Several other rough-seas related incidents occurred in Palm Beach County since the beginning of the month including the death of a 46-year-old visitor from Maine who drowned while rescuing two of his children from a rip current. The children were saved.

—Rich Pollack  

By John Pacenti

Gregg Brian Weiss — a well-known figure in Delray Beach’s civic, business and nonprofit sectors — is facing felony fraud charges for allegedly bilking a senior of $30,000, according to a Palm Beach County sheriff's affidavit.

Weiss, 58, was arrested following an investigation spanning more than a year and faces charges of obtaining property by deception from a person 65 or older, a second-degree felony, and engaging in fraudulent investment transactions, a third-degree felony.

He was taken into custody on March 31, the same day he appeared in front of the City Commission to defend restaurateur Rodney Mayo and the coffee shop Subculture.

The case against Weiss began in February 2025, when the alleged victim, a 75-year-old woman, and her son reported suspected fraud to authorities. 

The alleged victim said she met Weiss through a Facebook group and hired him for $900 to prepare a will. 

Investigators allege that Weiss identified himself as an investor with Ruby Capital Management. He told the woman that he could help her accrue enough money to afford a move into a Wellington assisted living facility, according to an affidavit by Sheriff’s Deputy William Goldstein.

In January 2025 the woman, who lives west of Boynton Beach, provided Weiss with a $30,000 check, intending to invest $15,000 each into two different certificates of deposit.

The subsequent investigation revealed significant red flags regarding Weiss's business operations. 

Records from the Florida Division of Corporations indicated that Ruby Capital Management had been administratively dissolved and was inactive as of September 2024.

Furthermore, Weiss allegedly provided the woman with "client confirmation of trade" documents for the CDs. But the woman’s existing financial firm reported no record of any such communications or transactions.

Although Weiss had been a registered investment adviser for nearly two decades, state records confirmed his registration had ended in January 2023.

Detectives used subpoenas to track the woman’s $30,000 deposit and found that the funds were placed into a Ruby Capital Management account that Weiss controlled.

Instead of being invested, the affidavit states the money was shifted through various accounts and used for personal gain. 

New Delray Beach City Commissioner Judy Mollica, who is president of Friends of Delray, said Weiss served as secretary and would take minutes of any meetings. The group sent out newsletters on development and other pertinent issues to the city.

“It’s too unbelievable even to conceive,” Mollica said of Weiss’ arrest.

Bank records allegedly showed that over $14,000 of the alleged victim’s money was transferred to a personal checking account held by Weiss and another individual, with the funds being used for food, gas and personal bills. 

Additionally, records from the Seminole Tribe of Florida showed Weiss had a slot cash buy-in of over $41,000 between January and May 2025, with documented losses during that period.

When the woman grew weary of the investment and requested her money back, Weiss reportedly sent her a letter claiming his business was entering Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization. 

The letter informed the alleged victim she would receive follow-up information once the firm had direction from the courts, yet a search of the Palm Beach County Court Clerk showed no record of a bankruptcy filing for the business or for Weiss personally. 

Weiss, who lives west of Delray Beach, has been a visible member of the community, previously serving on boards for several nonprofits and working as a community justice planner. He is also an administrator of the Facebook group Delray Beach Community Forum.

Weiss spoke at the March 31 commission workshop reviewing whether Mayo’s coffee shop was in compliance regarding special events and parking. He said the eccentric restaurateur — who also owns DaDa in the city — was being attacked.

He gave a list of his community service before speaking in public comments: “I've been involved in Delray Beach over the past 30 years in many capacities, including chair of the Chamber of Commerce, chair of economic development for four years, as well as working with the city CRA on multiple committees for business purposes.”

A message left for Weiss seeking comment was not returned. He was being held as of April 2 on a $67,000 bond at the Palm Beach County Jail. Weiss needed to show that the bond money posted is from a legitimate source, the sheriff’s office said.

Highland Beach goes to condos to teach; Delray has new defibrillator mandate

Cameron Abraham, a Highland Beach Fire Rescue firefighter/paramedic, explains to Dottie Turcotte how to position AED pads on a mannequin. Photos by Rachel O’Hara/The Coastal Star

By Rich Pollack

Jason Chudnofsky knows that having automated external defibrillators — AEDs — easily accessible when someone is in cardiac arrest can be the difference between life and death. 

He also knows it’s important that people know how to operate the device and do CPR that is used in tandem. 

“Having a tool to save a life without knowing how to use that tool does no good,” said Chudnofsky, a Highland Beach town commissioner and staunch AED advocate. “You can’t always rely on someone else.” 

Throughout coastal southern Palm Beach County, with its large senior population, there is a growing emphasis on making sure defibrillators are accessible and that people are knowledgeable enough to use them and CPR properly.

Delray Beach, for example, now requires AEDs on every other floor of a residential building with five stories or more, while other municipalities  are encouraging condo boards in their communities to install AEDs on multiple floors.

In addition, fire departments serving the coastal communities all incorporate AED training into CPR classes. 

In Highland Beach, a town effort led by Chudnofsky is championing a new program that is bringing AED and CPR training to condos. 

Rather than wait for residents to request the training, Highland Beach is coming to them and initiating the classes.

“We’re bringing it to each of the condos because we find that’s more effective,” said Chudnofsky, “It’s in the best interest of all residents for us to go to them.” 

Geoff Squires, Max Mirochnik and Fred Daniels (l-r) practice giving chest compressions during a training session at a Highland Beach condo.

Taught by a certified instructor, the training sessions in Highland Beach are the result of a partnership between the Highland Beach Police and Fire Foundation and the town’s fire rescue department and are offered for free, with the nonprofit foundation footing the bill. Chudnofsky, who chairs the town’s police and fire foundation, is also behind Highland Beach’s proclamation of April as CPR and AED Awareness Month. 

In addition, he helped the Coronado condominium board donate AEDs to the Highland Beach Police Department after residents decided they weren’t needed on every other floor because of the community’s proximity to the fire station. 

In Delray Beach, an 18-month grace period, during which residents were educated about the new requirement to have AEDs on every other floor, is over and the mandates are now being enforced during fire safety inspections. 

The new rule, included in a revised ordinance that also requires bleeding control kits on every other floor of a five-story or more building, has guidelines for commercial and other buildings where you’d expect large gatherings of people. 

No other municipality on the south Palm Beach County coast requires AEDs on every other floor.

Delray Beach Fire Marshal Joe Mazzeo says that having AEDs on alternate floors, as opposed to just in a lobby, makes them more rapidly accessible to someone on higher floors and can save valuable minutes and save lives.

“Anything we can do to improve survivability is important and every second counts,” he said. 

While AEDs are self-guided, with a recording giving step-by-step instructions, fire department leaders believe the AED training — in coordination with CPR — can have a beneficial impact. 

Elyse Carhart, the community education supervisor for Palm Beach County Fire Rescue, which serves Manalapan and South Palm Beach, believes that the training helps build confidence in those who may have to use CPR and an AED.

“The more comfortable people are with doing something, the more likely they are to do it,” she said. 

For Highland Beach residents like Dottie Turcotte, who took CPR classes years ago, the training offered in her condo proved to be a refresher that will likely make her feel more comfortable should she need to use it and an AED. 

Turcotte said she had to know CPR when she worked with children but “I’m not sure I remember it.” 

Like most of the area’s fire departments, Palm Beach County Fire Rescue offers free “hands only” CPR and AED training and will come to buildings or specific locations. Those classes do not offer certifications, although Boca Raton Fire Rescue offers CPR certification classes at a minimal cost. 

“We’re always happy to see when people are using AEDs prior to our arrival,” says Lt. Karl Richards of Boca Raton Fire Rescue. “The early use of CPR and AEDs together gives the patient the highest sustainable rate of walking out of the hospital.” 

In the classes she leads for Highland Beach condos, Diane Lea of Lifesavers Inc. has those participating do actual CPR on mannequins and has them work with the AED. 

She is good at going beyond just the mechanics and takes time to explain the difference between CPR and defibrillation and why they should be used together. 

“Instead of just saying ‘do it,’ I want them to know why they’re doing it,” she said.

CPR, she explains, is about getting oxygen into the body once the heart stops in cardiac arrest. Defibrillation is about getting the heart back into a normal rhythm.  

“I wish everyone would learn CPR and AEDs,” she said. 

AED tips

Having an AED accessible for use can make a difference between life and death. Here are tips to ensure your device is ready:

Set up the AED according to manufacturer’s instructions.

Register the device with the manufacturer so you’ll get updates and other important information.

Make sure the device is visible and accessible.

Put the address of the location on the cabinet and the device.

Designate two people to ensure the AED is properly maintained.