From left, Lina Colasacco, Ellen Petronaci and Jackie Ermola from Eat Better Live Better accept a check for the organization’s Christmas Toy Drive from Linda Gibson and Marilyn Bates of Cason United Methodist Church’s Women in Faith. Photo provided 

By Janis Fontaine

Vowing to volunteer more is a common New Year’s resolution, but volunteering has declined over the last few years, in part due to COVID-19, according to the Do Good Institute at the University of Maryland’s School of Public Policy. The institute studies philanthropy as part of its one-of-a-kind program that "provides education, opportunities and resources to develop the next generation of nonprofit leaders, social innovators and civic-minded students." 

At the same time, the need for services and the volunteers who provide them is increasing. Often, the first place people go to ask for help — or to offer help — is the church or synagogue. 

Research shows two factors influence altruism: “religiousness” and education. In “The Power of Practices: Religious and Spiritual Activities Are Vital to Giving and Volunteering,” David P. King, Ph.D., wrote: 

“We know that religion is one of the strongest predictors of giving and volunteering. Religious Americans are more likely to give and volunteer, and to do so more often and in higher amounts both to religious and secular causes.” 

But the phrase “religious Americans” is vague, and the universal message at the heart of volunteering — to “do unto others as you would have them do unto you” — transcends religion. The concept is found in Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Islam, Confucianism and even in the teachings of the Greeks centuries BCE. 

“It’s important to be in service to God,” said Pastor David Schmidt of Cason United Methodist Church in Delray Beach. “We’re very clearly called in Matthew 25, where he says,‘ whatever you did for the least of these brothers and sisters you did for me.’ Everything you need to know about why we should be serving people is summed up in that verse.” 

Another factor strongly tied to a person’s likelihood to volunteer is education. Whether at a place of worship or outside in the nonprofit community, the more education you have, the more likely you are to give your time to a cause.

In 2023, Gallup reported, “Volunteerism nearly doubles between non-collegegoers (14%) and those with at least some postsecondary education (27%) or an associate degree (27%). It increases to 38% among those with a bachelor’s degree and 47% with a graduate degree.” 

Jackie Ermola of Delray Beach, an advocate for people in need, spends her days trying to make the world a better place. A former business executive, she has served on nonprofit boards and run ministries in the past, but says, “I was spinning too many plates.” 

Now she’s on the board at Eat Better Live Better, a food source that focuses on providing healthful food, including access to fresh produce and no-sugar and low-sodium groceries, as well as nutrition education to the community.

Eat Better Live Better serves people facing health challenges (including childhood obesity) that can be improved by a better diet. 

“My grandmother was a great influence on me because she helped a lot of people. She had a big farm in Delaware, and she was always a doer and that’s how I grew up,” Ermola said. “My father said the Salvation Army helped him and my mother, so I never go by that red kettle and not put something in there.”

Ermola says it’s about our actions, and Schmidt agrees. 

“Actions will always speak louder than words. I hate to use that cliche, but it’s just absolutely true. Andy Stanley calls that the difference between believing and behaving. You can believe in Jesus Christ, but are you behaving in the way Christ behaved?” Schmidt said.

Ermola says she tries to be Christlike, and that her volunteer work sustains her.

“I’ve had great careers, but I always tell people this is the best job I’ve ever had, and I don’t get paid for it,” she said. “I love the homeless. They’ve given me more than I’ve given them. But I still ask myself, ‘How can this happen?’ I just feel in this country, we could do better. We need to do better.” 

Ermola takes great pride in what Eat Better Live Better has accomplished.

“It’s God’s work, but it’s not always easy.” Hunger is a never-ending void that she can never fill, so she tries to keep things in perspective. “It’s one soul at a time,” she said.  

For Schmidt, it’s almost simple: “Love the Lord, your God, and love your neighbor. Everything else is above your pay grade. Your job is to love people. When I see my maker on that day and say to him, ‘God, I tried to love everybody,’ I think his response will be, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.’ Because if we can love people, that softens our heart. And it softens their heart.” 

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

Some ways to get involved

There are many ways to serve that don’t involve feeding the hungry, although that’s an important ministry. You can play in the praise band or bell choir or sing in the choir. You can lead Bible studies or teach Sunday school. There are outreach ministries, community teams and family ministries, and other opportunities. 

To find a role, experts say consider your interests and availability, then express your interest to church leaders. They’ll find a place for you. 

If you want to work with one of the long-established charities that feed the hungry, consider one of these:  

Boca Helping Hands — bocahelpinghands.org or 561-417-0913

CROS — crosministries.org or 561-233-9009 

Eat Better Live Better — eblb.org or 678-428-3370

What the Bible says about service

The Bible portrays volunteering and service as a core part of faith, showing love for God and others, using God-given gifts, and fulfilling the example of Jesus. Serving is seen as essential, not optional, and is a way to glorify God and experience his blessing, with a focus on humility and generosity. 

In the Old Testament:

“A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.” — Proverbs 11:25

“Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward them for what they have done.” — Proverbs 19:17

“The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor.” — Proverbs 22:9

In the New Testament: 

“Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” — Matthew 5:16 

“And do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.” — Hebrews 13:16 

“Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.” — Romans 12:13

“I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that he said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” — Acts 20:35

“Feed the hungry and help those in trouble. Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon.” — Isaiah 58:10

“Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written: ‘They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor; their righteousness endures forever.‘” — 2 Corinthians 9:7-9

— Compiled by Janis Fontaine

Actress Patricia Heaton accepts the Eternal Light Award at B’nai Torah Congregation. Photo provided

Actress-turned-activist Patricia Heaton brought a message of support for Israel to Boca Raton on Dec. 9 when she spoke to 250 people at the American Friends of Magen David Adom event at B’nai Torah Congregation. 

Before the program, two ambulances were dedicated to the MDA, Israel’s emergency services system. One was given by Selma Lee Weiss and Daniel Weiss in honor of Rabbi David Steinhardt, and the other by Beatriz and Harold Jacobsohn in honor of their children and grandchildren. 

Heaton, best known for the popular sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond, is the co-founder of the October 7 Coalition, a “network of Christians standing visibly and vocally against the rise of antisemitism,” with her friend Elizabeth Dorros (october7coalition.com). 

Heaton said, “We can’t sit by. We have to do everything we can in our power, with God’s help, to make sure that the cancer of antisemitism does not spread any further.” 

After she spoke, Heaton accepted the Eternal Light Award for her unwavering support for Israel. Then, Jonathan Conricus, former IDF spokesperson and a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, joined Rabbi Steinhardt to discuss Israel, security and resilience. 

The event raised money to support MDA training and equipment for Israel’s paramedics and EMTs. 

B’nai Torah Congregation, at 6261 SW 18th St., Boca Raton, is the largest conservative synagogue in the southeastern United States with more than 1,300 member families. Info: 561-392-8566 or btcboca.org

New bishop named for Palm Beach diocese

Just a week before Christmas, Palm Beach County’s Catholic community learned it would be led by a new bishop in 2026. 

On Dec. 14, Pope Leo XIV appointed Father Manuel de Jesús Rodríguez, currently pastor of Our Lady of Sorrows Parish, Corona (Queens), New York, as the sixth bishop of the Diocese of Palm Beach. It also includes Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River and Okeechobee counties. 

He succeeds Bishop Gerald M. Barbarito, Palm Beach’s bishop since 2003, who submitted his retirement letter to the Holy Father when he turned 75 on Jan. 4, 2025, as required by canon law. Now, Bishop Barbarito assumes the status of Bishop Emeritus of Palm Beach. He has been appointed its apostolic administrator until the day of Bishop-elect Rodriguez’s ordination, which has not yet been set.

Bishop Barbarito introduced Bishop-Elect Rodríguez at a Dec. 19 news conference in the Family Life Center of the Cathedral of St. Ignatius Loyola in Palm Beach Gardens. 

Rodríguez, 50, a native of the Dominican Republic, was ordained to the priesthood July 3, 2004. A canon lawyer with extensive experience in penal canon law and pastoral leadership, he became affiliated with the Diocese of Brooklyn, New York, in 2012. Rodriguez, whom Bishop Barbarito said is described as "a priest who walks with the people," speaks four languages.

Father Rodríguez said he was surprised by a Sunday afternoon phone call on Dec. 14 telling him he was being appointed bishop. Feelings of “utter disbelief” were replaced by new ones. “I was terrified,” he said at the news conference. 

Humbled by the enormity of his new position, Father Rodríguez said, “I do not bring much with me — only myself and my faith in Christ Jesus, whom I follow as my Lord and Savior, and whom I will serve all my life. For this reason, I make my own the words of Saint Peter when he once encountered a poor man, crippled and begging at the gate of the Temple in Jerusalem: ‘I have neither silver nor gold, but what I have I give you.’”

As chief shepherd of the Diocese of Palm Beach, the bishop is responsible for about 260,000 Catholics in 54 parishes and missions with nearly 300 ordained priests and deacons, and 20 Catholic elementary and high schools. 

For more information, visit diocesepb.org.

Journey Church mourns pastor killed in crash

Journey Church and the local community are mourning the death of a pastor who was killed in a motorcycle crash on Nov. 25 on Congress Avenue near Atlantis. 

Joshua Rene, 39, served as an executive pastor of the non-denominational Christian church with campuses in West Palm Beach, Lake Worth Beach and Boynton Beach. 

Pastor Josh, as he was known, was honored at services at all three churches following his passing. Pastor Scott Baugh said the father of four was “always joyful, always had faith. There was never a person he didn’t make time for.” 

First Presbyterian to host distinguished speaker 

On Jan. 11 at the 9 and 11 a.m. services, First Presbyterian Church welcomes its first Distinguished Preacher of 2026 to the pulpit. 

The Rev. Dr. Thomas K. Tewell, a graduate of Princeton Seminary, has more than 40 years’ experience as a pastor, including his tenure at Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church in New York City during 9/11.

He is the founder of the Macedonian Ministry and has received awards for his social justice ministry, particularly with the homeless in New York. First Presbyterian is at 33 Gleason St., Delray Beach. Info: 561-276-6338 or firstdelray.com.

Discover Spanish River Church at open houses

Spanish River Church is holding two open house events in January. The Presbyterian PCA Church at 2400 Yamato Road, Boca Raton, hosts Discover SRC, to invite the community to learn about this vibrant church community, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Jan. 8.

Then 10-11 a.m. Jan. 11 during coffee hour, and noon-1 p.m. after the second service, the church hosts a Ministry Showcase to illuminate all the ways available to get involved with the church. Both events take place in the Connect Center. Call 561-994-5000 or visit spanishriver.com.

Tim Tebow and Life Surge coming to West Palm Beach 

Tim Tebow, former NFL and University of Florida quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner, headlines a powerful day of Christian worship at the Palm Beach County Convention Center from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Jan. 17.

The day is designed to inspire, teach and spread a biblical message to make a positive impact on family and community. 

Besides Tebow, the featured speakers include author and podcast host Ed Mylett; Pastor Craig Groeschel; Australian evangelist Christine Caine; and the stars of Duck Dynasty, Willie and Korie Robertson.

Music is by 11-time Dove Award-winning and Grammy-nominated Bethel Music. As of Dec. 27, tickets were $22.40 plus fees at lifesurge.com, and include a boxed lunch. The Convention Center is at 650 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach.

Night to Shine prom for people with special needs 

St. Paul Lutheran Church and School, 701 W. Palmetto Park Road, Boca Raton, will host Night to Shine on Feb. 13 for the 10th year. This annual prom for people with special needs is held simultaneously around the world at more than 600 churches and celebrates God’s love. The event also highlights the work of its sponsor, the Tim Tebow Foundation. To register, visit nighttoshineboca.com. 

Saint Mark Greek Festival to offer food, live music 

The annual Saint Mark Greek Festival takes place Jan. 29-Feb. 1 and features food, beer and wine, live music and dancing, family activities and an international marketplace. Hours are 4-9 p.m. Thursday, 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and noon-9 p.m. Sunday, at Saint Mark Greek Orthodox Church, 2100 Yamato Road, Boca Raton. Call 561-994-4822 or visit saintmarkboca.net/greek-festival.

Participate in Yoga and Sacred Movement activity

St. Gregory’s Episcopal Church offers two programs that combine movement and prayer in January. At 4 p.m. Jan. 22, 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 and is open to seniors and families. Bring your own yoga mat and water.

At 4 p.m. Jan. 24, join YogaMass in St. Mary’s Chapel, a combination of graceful yoga, deep words of faith in the Eucharist, and contemplative meditation with Neville and the Rev. Elizabeth Pankey-Warren leading. Bring your yoga mat and water. 

The church is at 100 NE Mizner Blvd., Boca Raton. Call 561-395-8285 or email rneville@st-gregorys.com.

New program created to fight homelessness 

The Interfaith Committee for Social Services recently announced a program to help local nonprofits serve their homeless clients. 

The new Homeless Prevention Program is designed to provide a one-time-only gift to prevent individuals or families in southern Palm Beach County from becoming homeless.

Judy Fenney helped establish the program with Kathleen Megan, both parishioners at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Delray Beach. They have helped people with past-due utilities, first- and/or last-month rent, security deposits, move-in expenses, household necessities and appliances. Allocations ranged from $600 to $3,200. 

Requests for assistance must come from a partner agency, congregation, or civic group.

Personal requests will not be considered. Checks are issued to the requesting organization, or directly to the organization providing the service (like the landlord or utility). 

Agencies can complete the Interfaith Homeless Prevention Request form, available at docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfY24JsFvbTZmKV0B3UCW8jaWc1MYV14_gbrtCdIPz7LMC53w/viewform.

Questions can be emailed to judyfenney1@gmail.com or interfaithcss@gmail.com.

Registration underway for annual Grace Race 5K

Register now for Grace Community Church Boca’s annual fundraising 5K and 1-mile run/walk at 8 a.m. Feb. 14. The race begins and ends at the church at 500 W. Camino Real, Boca Raton. All the race proceeds benefit programs including 4KIDS of South Florida, Trail Life USA Troop 6:33, and the outreach efforts of Amped Student Ministries. Fees are $15-$30. Register at runsignup.com/Race/FL/BocaRaton/GraceRace5KRunWalk.

— Janis Fontaine

Parade participants gather on Old Ocean Boulevard. Photos by Rachel S. O’Hara/The Coastal Star

Organizer Wendy D’Angelo said she created the Christmas Doggie Parade — which was full of holiday spirit — after moving back into her home in Ocean Ridge, saying that she wanted to give back to her neighbors and celebrate how much she loves the community. She hopes to make the parade even bigger next year and turn it into an annual neighborhood tradition. 

D’Angelo (center) tries to keep up with her dogs Riley and Lulu, both 5, as they look to make new friends with Ivy and Otis, both 2.

Dogs dressed up in their holiday finest appear to be in a deep discussion. 

Suzi Goldsmith, top, co-founder with Jeanette Christos of Tri-County Animal Rescue, sits with Katie, the golden retriever, and Stanford. Below is Sandy. Tri-County has rescued and offered for adoption more than 100,000 animals in 30 years. Photos provided 

By Arden Moore

Let’s go back in time to 1996. Scientists cloned the first mammal — a sheep named Dolly. People of all ages were performing the iconic hand/hip dance moves to the Macarena. And the hottest holiday must-get gift was the Tickle Me Elmo doll. 

In Palm Beach County in 1996, a pair of animal-championing “besties” named Suzi Goldsmith and Jeanette Christos decided to create a no-kill shelter that had humble beginnings inside a four-bedroom house in Boynton Beach. They called the shelter Tri-County Humane Society.

Fast forward to today, and that ambitious dream has become Tri-County Animal Rescue on a sprawling campus in Boca Raton that now features a full-service veterinary clinic with plans for more buildings and services. 

“Jeanette was a catering manager, and I was a philanthropist and we shared a passion to help animals,” recalls Suzi. Then in 2001, “when the city of Boca Raton was going to close its animal shelter and put out for bids, we said, ‘We can do this.’

“We took over that shelter, paying $1 a year for a 75-year lease. Jeanette got sick with cancer and died 13 years ago, but our mission has never changed. We will and always will be a 100% no-kill nonprofit shelter.”

Tri-County has rescued and saved more than 100,000 animals.

“I think the best part of Tri-County is that there are no expiration dates on our animals who are here,” says Amanda Zimmer, assistant director, who has been there for about 20 years. “From the beginning, we chose to be a no-kill shelter. These animals are with us until we can find them a family, a perfect family.”

During the past three decades, Tri-County has championed animals in need in South Florida and beyond. Staff and volunteers have answered the call when animals were displaced due to hurricanes and tornadoes and other natural disasters elsewhere, like Puerto Rico, the Bahamas, Louisiana and Oklahoma.

“My first hurricane rescue experience was when Hurricane Katrina hit Louisiana in 2005,” says Suzi. “My friend Lois Pope gave money for gas and food for us. The devastation was much worse in person than what people saw on TV. We brought back about 40 dogs and got them adopted.” 

Tri-County has arranged for cargo planes to bring displaced cats and dogs of all sizes back to its campus. Most recently, Tri-County rescued about 20 dogs, including a large pregnant dog, after Hurricane Erin hit Puerto Rico in August. 

“There are certain rescues that will always be in my life forever,” says Suzi. 

One of these memorable dogs is a golden retriever named Barron, who was very sick due to having distemper. He recovered, got adopted and will be present at the special event called Wags & Cheers for 30 Years, set for Jan. 31 at the shelter.

“We are inviting people to bring their adopted pets and enjoy a big reunion,” says Suzi.

Look for details on how to participate on the shelter’s website at tricountyanimalrescue.org. 

“The years have flown by, but it seems like just yesterday, not 30 years,” says Suzi. “It has been a lot of hard work, but it has all been worth it. I wish I could do this for another 30 years, but I will do it for as long as I can because the animals are all worth it.” 

Arden Moore writes about pets and can be reached at fourleggedlife@gmail.com. 

If You Go

Wags & Cheers for 30 Years, a rescue animal reunion, is 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Jan. 31 at 21287 Boca Rio Road, Boca Raton. Visit tricountyanimalrescue.org.

Through the years  

1996: Tri-County Humane Society begins cage-free inside a four-bedroom home in Boynton Beach. 

2000: First major milestone reached with 5,000 homeless animals adopted.

2001: Suzi Goldsmith and Jeanette Christos agree to take over the Boca Raton animal shelter and rename it Tri-County Animal Rescue, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

2005: The devastating Hurricane Katrina slammed New Orleans. Tri-County staffers arrived to assist and brought back dozens of dogs to help them get homes in Palm Beach County. It marked the first time Goldsmith and her team traveled outside South Florida to participate in a national rescue effort. 

2013: A pair of F5 tornadoes struck in Oklahoma. Three vans stocked with medical supplies, food and water from Tri-County arrived to help. They returned with about 80 rescues. 

2017: Hurricanes Irma and Maria smacked Puerto Rico. Tri-County arranged to have some displaced animals flown to Boca Raton. This marked the first year Tri-County worked with animal organizations in Puerto Rico. 

2019: Tri-County opens the Lois Pope Pet Clinic, which provides low-cost, full veterinary care. It’s named in honor of the longtime supporter and philanthropist Lois Pope.

2020: When the pandemic closed businesses and forced people to work from their homes, Tri-County never closed its doors or stopped its rescue and veterinary support. The shelter was deemed to be essential.

2026: Tri-County will celebrate its three decades with various events throughout the year. More buildings will be added to provide more services in the spring 2026.

For a more detailed look at Tri-County’s 30 years of helping animals in need, visit tricountyanimalrescue.org/history.

Melanie Diamond will succeed Cathy Abrams, who is retiring after this school year. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

By Faran Fagen

At the core of her mission as an educator, Melanie Diamond teaches empathy, curiosity, resilience and balance.

“When students hit that sweet spot of feeling connected, supported and challenged, they not only learn, they flourish,” Diamond said.

Diamond, of Boca Raton, brings her student-centered philosophy to Gulf Stream School as the next assistant head of school for the 2026-27 school year.

She succeeds Cathy Abrams, who will retire from the position at the end of the 2025–26 academic year. Abrams will continue to serve on a part-time basis in the classroom following her retirement after 25 years in the leadership role.

Diamond’s immediate goals are to “listen carefully, learn the GSS culture, and build relationships with students, teachers and families.”

Diamond’s 25-plus years in education — across middle school, high school, and leadership roles — helped prepare her for this position. She’s led professional development, overseen curriculum alignment, managed teams, hired and supported faculty, and facilitated schoolwide initiatives in change management and instructional improvement.

“I aim to support faculty through meaningful professional learning, strengthen curriculum alignment, and ensure that every student experiences a joyful, rigorous education,” Diamond said. “Ultimately, I want to help unify the community around our shared vision and continue the strong traditions Gulf Stream is known for.”

Gulf Stream School, at 3600 Gulf Stream Road, is an independent private school founded in 1938 for pre-kindergarten through eighth grade.

The qualities that Diamond hopes to bring to the Gulf Stream Stingrays include being relationship-focused, highly organized, calm under pressure, transparent in decision-making, and deeply committed to both academic excellence and character development.

“I’m a collaborative leader who loves to build strong teams and empower teachers to do their best work every day,” Diamond said.

Diamond comes from North Broward Preparatory School, where she has served in a variety of roles over the past 13 years, most recently as International Baccalaureate and Advanced Placement coordinator. Her varied experience in upper school education will be central to strengthening Gulf Stream School’s middle school program, ensuring graduates are prepared for the transition to high school.

Prior to her tenure at North Broward, Diamond taught high school and middle school English and history. She holds a graduate certificate in school leadership and management from Harvard University, a master of arts from Northeastern University, and a bachelor of arts from the University of Texas.

“Melanie’s extensive experience, academic insight, and genuine commitment to student growth make her an exciting addition to our leadership team,” said Dr. Gray Smith, Gulf Stream’s head of school. “Her proven ability to lead faculty with vision and care aligns wonderfully with our mission.”

From the moment she stepped onto Gulf Stream’s campus, Diamond was drawn to the school’s deep sense of community and its commitment to nurturing both the academic and social-emotional growth of every child.

“Throughout my career, I’ve thrived in school environments that value collaboration with families, clear communication, and celebrating student and faculty success,” she said.

Outside of school life, Diamond loves to read (not surprising for a former English teacher), practice hot yoga, discover new coffee shops and bookstores, travel the world, and spend time at the beach or on a boat with her family. She just recently began to volunteer with a cooking crew that provides home-cooked meals for homeless people.

She loves to ski, a passion she learned from her dad. She still goes on a father/daughter ski trip every year.

“I’m happiest when I’m learning something new or connecting with others, two things that naturally spill back into my work as an educator,” Diamond said.

She enjoys working with children because of their energy, honesty and curiosity.

“I love watching students discover their strengths, grow through challenges, and develop confidence academically and personally,” Diamond said. “Whether I’m working with a struggling writer or coaching a teacher on instructional strategies, the heart of the work is helping students realize what they’re capable of, and that never loses its magic.”

Above all, she wants students to develop a strong sense of self, the ability to think critically, and the confidence to navigate an ever-changing world.

“I feel honored to join the Gulf Stream community and excited to contribute to a school that values both academic excellence and heart,” Diamond said. “My goal is to support students and educators in ways that elevate learning, strengthen community, and build on the incredible foundation already in place. I’m grateful for the warm welcome and eager to begin this next chapter as a Stingray.”

Perfectly positioned in the heart of Gulf Stream, this two-story estate was designed by architect Richard Jones and recently completed by Marc Julien Homes. It encompasses 5,103± total square feet with six bedrooms and six-and-one-half baths. Defined by timeless coastal living and light-filled interiors, the home features a gracious great room with gas fireplace and wet bar, and floor-to-ceiling glass doors that open to panoramic water views, creating a seamless connection between indoor and outdoor living. The main level includes a tranquil primary suite with spa-inspired bath and custom closets, a private office/bedroom with full bath, and a flexible guest suite. On the outside, a fire pit and a private dock (100-foot water frontage) with boat lift are perfectly oriented to capture serene canal views. Additional highlights include a whole-house generator, complete impact glass and two-car and golf cart garage. Offered at $15,495,000. 

Contact Candace Friis, 561-573-9966, candace.friis@corcoran.com, or Phil Friis, 561-706-1922, phil.friis@corcoran.com. Visit Candacefriis.com.

The Christmas Doggie Parade on Saturday, December 20, in Ocean Ridge was full of holiday spirit. Organizer Wendy D’Angelo said she created the event after moving back into her home in Ocean Ridge, wanting to give back to her neighbors and celebrate how much she loves the community. She hopes to make the parade even bigger next year and turn it into an annual neighborhood tradition, noting that Ocean Ridge is the best place in South Florida.

Rachel S. O'Hara / The Coastal Star

Riley, 7, dressed to impress in her finest holiday collar and hat, poses with her friend Simone at the Christmas Doggie Parade on Saturday, December 20, in Ocean Ridge. 

Alya, Chris, and Raif Elbualy brought their dogs Brandy, 1, and Betty, 6, to the Christmas Doggie Parade on Saturday, December 20, in Ocean Ridge. They also handed out extra treats to all the dogs who participated in the festive parade. 

Allison and Tom Walker pose with their dogs Ivy, 2, and Summit, 3, before the start of the Christmas Doggie Parade.

Otis, 2, wore a tartan bandana to the Christmas Doggie Parade on Saturday, December 20, in Ocean Ridge. 

Santa put his gloved hand out for Quinn to inspect before the start of the Christmas Doggie Parade. 

Dogs dressed up in their holiday finest for the Christmas Doggie Parade on Saturday, December 20, in Ocean Ridge. 

Bryan Cook's dogs, Fritter, 1, and Coco, 3, get excited to meet Santa for the first time during the Christmas Doggie Parade on Saturday, December 20, in Ocean Ridge.

Santa led the way down Old Ocean Boulevard in Ocean Ridge on Saturday, December 20, for the Christmas Doggie Parade. 

Raif and Aly Elbualy walk their dogs, Betty, 6, and Brandy, 1, in the Christmas Doggie Parade on Saturday, December 20, in Ocean Ridge.

Wendy D'Angelo, center, tries to keep up with her dogs Riley, 5, and Lulu, 5, as they look to make new friends with Ivy, 2, and Otis, 2, during the Christmas Doggie Parade on Saturday, December 20, in Ocean Ridge. Wendy D'Angelo was the organizer of the parade and hopes to make this an annual tradition. 

Max, 8, enjoyed looking festive but got tired halfway through the Christmas Doggie Parade.

Santa holds up free dog bag holders with dog bags as one of the many items given to the dogs that participated in the Christmas Doggie Parade.

Riley and Lulu, both 5, had fun wearing festive collars and headbands at the Christmas Doggie Parade put on by their mom, Wendy D'Angelo. 

Sharon Monson takes a photo of her dog Otis, 2, posing with Santa, at the Christmas Doggie Parade on Saturday, December 20, in Ocean Ridge. 

Dogs and their owners gathered together at the end of the Christmas Doggie Parade route along Old Ocean Boulevard to take a group photo with Santa on Saturday, December 20, in Ocean Ridge. 

By Mary Hladky

Boca Raton Mayor Scott Singer announced today, Dec. 18, that he is running for Congress.

Singer, a Republican and supporter of President Donald Trump, is hoping to unseat U.S. Rep. Jared Moskowitz, a Democrat who was first elected in 2022 and re-elected in 2024, to represent Florida's 23^rd Congressional District.

Singer’s announcement is no surprise. Boca Raton residents have long expected him to try to defeat Moskowitz.

He was first elected to the City Council in 2014 and has served as mayor since 2018. Singer is term-limited from running again. His last day in office is March 31.

The 23^rd District covers Boca Raton and Highland Beach, runs west to Coral Springs and south into Fort Lauderdale.

“As a three-term mayor, I fought to keep taxes and crime low and delivered results to provide a safe and thriving place to live,” Singer said on Facebook.

“I’m running for Congress as an America First conservative who believes that we need leaders in D.C. who will work to build on President Trump’s success to secure our borders, defend our nation, cut waste, and bring taxes and costs down for all Americans.”

A lawyer, Singer graduated from Harvard University and Georgetown Law.

By John Pacenti

Scott Porten — a strong defender of the former nonprofit that ran Old School Square Center for the Arts —  is facing 12 counts of child pornography after Dropbox reported his computer to the National Center of Missing and Exploited Children, according to a police report.

The 63-year-old real estate developer from coastal Delray Beach was arrested Thursday night on 11 counts of possessing child pornography and one count of “obscene communication” involving transmitting child pornography, according to an affidavit by Delray Beach Police Detective Michael Liberta.

The national center forwarded the tip to the Broward County Sheriff’s Office and the South Florida Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, according to Delray Beach police spokesman Ted White. The Broward Sheriff's Office forwarded the information to Delray Beach police, which began its investigation Nov. 28, the affidavit said.

The original tip came from Dropbox, a popular cloud-based storage service for electronic files.

A Dropbox user with the screen name “Scott Porten” allegedly uploaded seven photos that depicted sexual abuse of children or unclothed children. Dropbox also reported emails associated with Porten with the account, including his business, Porten Companies.

A search warrant for the Dropbox account discovered the seven images. In addition, four other images apparently from the same series were located, as well as 500 images of AI-generated images of nude prepubescent children, Liberta said.

There were also 26 images advertising child pornography websites, 63 thumbnail images advertising child pornography, and two videos of anime that depicted the sexual performance of a child, according to the report.

Court records show Porten, who is being held at the Palm Beach County Jail, is being represented for the time being by the Public Defender’s Office. His first appearance before a judge is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 13, at 9 a.m.

A Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office “face sheet” says Porten was arrested at 1000 James L Turner Blvd. in West Palm Beach. However, no such address exists. However, Palm Beach International Airport has a similar address: 1000 James L. Turnage Blvd. 

SCOTT PORTEN

Porten has a long track record of civic involvement in Delray Beach. He was profiled by The Coastal Star in 2012 after he assumed leadership of the Delray Beach Chamber of Commerce’s governmental affairs committee and was chair of the Old School Square nonprofit group.

Later, he was part of the pushback when the city demanded financial records from the nonprofit Old School Square Center for the Arts, which ran the Cornell Art Museum, the Crest Theater, the Fieldhouse and the outdoor Pavilion.

The long-term lease for the organization was terminated in August 2021.

“You decided without notice and took the nuclear option,” he told the commission at the time. 

The city’s fight with the non-profit polarized the residents and split political factions. 

Today, the city shares running Old School Square with the Downtown Development Authority.

In the “Meet Your Neighbor” feature from 2012, Porten said, "Now that I am raising my children in Delray Beach, I realize the important role that the arts played in my development. This observation has been my focus in recent years and is the reason behind my involvement at Old School Square Cultural Arts Center.”

The story showed a photo of Porten with his wife and two children.

First Presbyterian, whose home includes South County’s first barrier island church, celebrates 100 years

First Presbyterian Church of Delray Beach’s steeple is visible for miles out to sea, a longtime landmark for boaters. A smaller tower from the original 1924 building (at right) marks the church’s Fellowship Hall. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

Related: First Presbyterian laments losing co-pastor to new job

By Janis Fontaine 

Near the shores of the Atlantic Ocean, a community church rose a century ago and it continues to welcome parishioners to this day. 

The congregation’s home includes the first church ever built on South County’s barrier island — a 1924 building that now serves as its Fellowship Hall — and it is one of only two churches south of Palm Beach on the island today.

With its steeple visible for miles out to sea, First Presbyterian Church of Delray Beach — The Community Church by the Sea — is a landmark beloved by the city, its residents and the congregation.

The church was officially organized in 1925, meeting in people’s homes and being served by visiting ministers. Its first permanent pastor, the Rev. James McCormick, arrived just before Christmas 1926, and the congregation moved into its first forever-home in 1928. 

Delray Beach Mayor Tom Carney acknowledged the 100th anniversary on Oct. 14 with a formal proclamation, calling the church “a cornerstone institution” and “a beacon of compassion, generosity, and service.” The proclamation commended the church “for its enduring legacy of service, faith, and leadership in our community.”

The people are the church

First Presbyterian currently has 864 members. Some are new, but others, like the church, have a history. 

Elder Jen Buce’s great-grandparents attended First Presbyterian when they wintered here, and her grandmother Margaret “Peg” Bowen was a deacon, an elder and a member for more than 50 years. Buce’s mother was a deacon, too.  

“I am very proud at the fact that I have followed in my grandmother’s footsteps. Being an elder has given me a bigger outlook of what it is to be a Presbyterian,” Buce said. “I think it’s to be a part of a community that still has good in their heart. Our intention as a congregation is to help the community, whether that is here just in Delray Beach, whether it is in Jamaica, whether it’s in Virginia, wherever we can be of help. That is what is important to me.” 

The church’s role in supporting local charities is a source of great pride. A variety of organizations that got their start in the church are now independent nonprofits serving the community. “My grandmother and grandfather were part of the founding members of the Achievement Center for Children & Families that started with like six kids in a classroom and is now over 700 children,” Buce said. 

The church continues to support the poor through Adopt-A-Family, the hungry through CROS Ministries and the Caring Kitchen, and the sick through the Caridad Center. 

“The church has definitely given me a purpose in life. Each year my faith has grown,” Buce said. “Walking into the church every Sunday, it’s the people that you’re surrounded by. They’re truly genuine.”

Members of the congregation pose for a photo in the late 1920s in front of what was the main entrance to the church. Photo provided

On Sunday Nov. 16, 2025, hundreds of members of the congregation posed at what now is considered the back entrance to the church compound. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

A church by the sea

The church sits on land that was previously part of a sour orange grove, south of what was once the Orange Grove Haulover — a location where boats were carried from one navigable place to another. 

In the early 1900s, Atlantic Avenue became the main street in what was originally the town of Linton. The land to the west of the Intracoastal Waterway incorporated as the town of Delray in 1911, and the barrier island to the east incorporated as the town of Delray Beach in 1923. The two towns then united to become the city of Delray Beach in 1927.

It was in 1924 that a tract of land on Bronson Street just south of Atlantic became the site of a Baptist church — First Presbyterian’s future home. It would be the only church built on the barrier island south of Palm Beach until the construction of St. Lucy Catholic Church in Highland Beach in 1972. 

The idea man behind the first church was F.J. Schrader, an architect, builder and financier. Inspired by a church in Florence, Italy, he built one in the Spanish Mission style — with twin campaniles, smooth stucco walls, arches, wide welcoming doors and dark woods. 

It was named Gibson Memorial Baptist Church after its founding minister, the Rev. Samuel Gibson. By 1928, the Baptist congregation had grown to 135 members. 

But the 1928 hurricane and the resulting real estate crash were crippling. The congregation couldn’t finish paying for the church and gave it back to Schrader. Five weeks after the hurricane struck, the local Presbyterians rented the church for $30 a month, later purchasing it for $19,000. 

The church went through minor changes over the years, but the real transformation to modern-day First Presbyterian came a half-century into its existence, when a new sanctuary was built on the west side of the original church. On Easter Sunday 1977, the first services were held in the new building on Gleason Street. 

Built in the Mediterranean Revival style, the sanctuary’s design complemented the existing Spanish Mission style. The new church faced west with new steps leading up to a red-roofed portico entry, with twin doors set into a wall of colored glass. The old church sanctuary to the east was converted to Fellowship Hall, complete with kitchen facilities.

A postcard from the era depicts the original 1924 church, Gibson Memorial Baptist Church, facing east. The Presbyterian church began renting the building in 1928 and later bought it. The building now serves as Fellowship Hall for First Presbyterian. Postcard provided by the Delray Beach Historical Society

Repairs and renovations 

Being a historic building so close to the ocean, Fellowship Hall took a beating from the hostile climate. By the late 1990s, it needed a heavy dose of TLC. The congregation decided collectively to restore rather than tear down and rebuild. A $2.5 million renovation drive in 1997 represented a monumental commitment to the original church. 

The building had no foundation and was unstable, but the architects found a way to build the new framework needed to stabilize the structure inside the original walls. At the same time, the kitchen was updated, and improvements were made campus-wide, including to the adjoining Memorial Garden. 

Fellowship Hall and the courtyard area were listed on the Register of Historic Places in Delray Beach in 1999 and the property as a State of Florida Historical Point of Interest in 2009.

In 2016, a new $3.5 million capital campaign was launched to expand the sanctuary and renovate the Christian Education Building. The renamed Center for Christian Studies was dedicated in January 2017. Construction and maintenance projects continued, from repainting the entire campus to fixing drainage issues. Another campaign would add the circular drive porte cochere entrance, making the church more accessible. 

This past January, the church launched its Renew & Rejoice capital campaign with a goal of $4 million for repairs and improvements. As of Nov. 10, more than $3.5 million had been raised.

Beacons inside and out

In the sanctuary, a two-story colored glass cross made of tens of thousands of pieces of glass showers the altar with light. Each panel tells a Bible story depicting the theme “The Life of Jesus and the Journey of Faith.” 

Buce says she feels close to her grandmother when she sees the light coming in. “Shortly after her death, I was sitting in the church and the way the sun hit the stained glass, there was a huge beam of light coming through. The first time I saw it, I had to get up and leave because it overwhelmed me, because I saw that as a sign of my grandmother. Now I look for her every Sunday,” she said. 

Outdoors, it is the steeple that is the church’s most recognizable architectural element. Added in 1977 at 135 feet tall — topped by a 15-foot cross — it was visible for miles out to sea.

Weather took its toll on that steeple. After two hurricanes in 2004, and the continuing saltwater corrosion of its brackets, the steeple was replaced in 2005 — only to have city inspectors say it was 4 feet taller and not acceptable, according to Nancy Fine, the church’s business administrator. 

Fine recounted that Reece Galyon, a part-time maintenance worker at the church, “went in front of the City Commission, and he argued that the cross needed to be 4 feet higher because it is a guide for the Coast Guard and for people — who may be having trouble on the ocean — as a landmark to help guide rescuers to their position.” 

Galyon told the commission that the higher the cross, the farther away it could be seen, Fine said. “And based on that argument, they approved us,” she said.

Elder Bill Bathurst says he’s seen the steeple while on the ocean and has taken comfort in it. 

“We were a little bit in trouble,” he said, “and I saw the church steeple, our church steeple. And I thought, well, if anything really bad happens, I know where I am.”

Local fishermen tell him they use the steeple to triangulate their favorite fishing spots, he says. 

In a complement to the steeple, the church’s carillon system rings out to the larger community every day at noon and 6 p.m. And every Sunday, it rings 10 minutes before each service, calling congregants to church.  

For many years, the church couldn’t afford a bell and the belfry was empty. But in 1948 bells were hung, and they rang until being taken down in 1988. In 2000 the remaining bell, which had been engraved with the names of the church leaders, was installed in the courtyard. It has been rung ever since on Sundays in remembrance of deceased congregants.

First Presbyterian Church has many inspirational architectural elements, such as these stained-glass windows at the entrance. Photo provided

An active congregation

As a preservationist who grew up in Delray Beach and is a former city commissioner, Bathurst has an appreciation for First Presbyterian Church that began long before he was a member. 

But, as a member, he praises the music and says “most people come for the worship and the fellowship. I’ve been very involved in some churches that have very modern services, and I think they’re great.” Still, he appreciates First Presbyterian’s more traditional style. 

The secret sauce to any church is that “you have to get involved,” Bathurst added, and the church has many ministries. He’s part of the Renew & Rejoice committee working on the latest renovations, but he praises all the ministries, especially the Holly House ladies. 

Holly House paid to fix the church steeple, the organ and sound system, the carillon electronic bell system, and it built its own building. 

“I think Holly House is one of the most amazing things on the planet,” he said. “These ladies who make crafts and then sell them and that supports the church and it’s amazing the amount of money they raise.”  

The success of Holly House and the other ministries is due to the commitment of parishioners to the church, Buce says. “Families continue to bring their children. I think that’s one reason why we have been as strong as we’ve been for 100 years.” 

James Blood, 72, a nonactive elder, was one of those kids. He attended church in his mother’s belly, and he’s been a member since he was 12. His father, Norman Blood, in 1949 founded Blood’s Hammock Grove, a city landmark and popular citrus shop for more than a half century at Linton Boulevard and Old Germantown Road.  Norman Blood was the superintendent of Sunday school at the church and his name is one of those on the bell in the courtyard. 

James Blood remembers the original church before air conditioning. “It would get a little warm in there, but we had those little cardboard fans. And the church was designed so you could open the front doors and side doors and get a breeze.”

Social change

Blood also remembers the social change that took place as Delray Beach faced racial strife. He was just a toddler when, in 1956, a cross was burned on the beach as a message. Blacks were banned from the beach and from the public pool. A federal court ruled that blacks couldn’t be banned from the beach, which led black and white leaders to sit down together and work out a plan.

It would be 1970 before Delray Beach schools were integrated, and many divisions played out — not just in the city, but at First Presbyterian as well. 

“When integration was going on, the church split and that was sort of a disruptive time, but the people that stayed, they wanted to open it up to everybody and that’s what they did. Some people didn’t agree with that,” Blood said.  

His parents supported integration. “They thought anybody that wanted to come should come. It was pretty cut-and-dried for them. But some people felt strongly the other way, so they decided to take other options. I think that was probably a sort of a turning point for the church.” 

Blood credits the influx of wealth and wisdom from winter residents with helping the church financially and with its modern thinking. 

“As a child, I remember we had a lot of people come down from up north during the winter and they were a big part of the church. The locals were not as well off, and I think the winter residents were a big part of the financial success of the church.” 

Meet the pastors 

Only nine pastors, all men, have served First Presbyterian Church of Delray Beach in its 100-year history. The Rev. Theodore Bush served the longest, more than 26 years.

The nine are:   

• Rev. James H. McCormick: Dec. 19, 1926, to Oct. 2, 1927; there were 66 charter members when he arrived. 

• Dr. Frank N. Nelson: Nov. 15, 1928, to Dec. 1, 1930 

• Rev. S. Willis McFadden: Feb. 15, 1933, to Aug. 24, 1941; he began his pastorate  with 91 members. 

• Dr. James G. Robinson: Oct. 18, 1942, to Jan. 21, 1957

• Rev. Robert G. Morey: Nov. 17, 1957, to Nov. 30, 1967

• Dr. Seth Morrow: Oct. 16, 1969, to June 30, 1983; he oversaw the building of the new sanctuary and of the original sanctuary’s becoming Fellowship Hall.

• Dr. Theodore A. Bush: March 25, 1984, to Jan. 1, 2011

• Dr. W. Douglas Hood: June 15, 2012, to present; church has 864 current members 

• Dr. Greg Rapier: Co-pastor Sept. 8, 2024, to Oct. 19, 2025

Source: First Presbyterian Church of Delray Beach

Tech company turns tables on man who took it, many others to court

William Swaim at the Ocean Ridge Town Commission meeting in May 2025. Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

Related: Spanish River, Silver Palm parks are hubs for global communications

By John Pacenti

South Florida, one could argue, is mostly submerged land — filled in, replumbed, developed. A lot of people became rich by turning a mosquito-filled swamp into the metropolis of today. From Miami Beach to Riviera Beach and beyond, developments sit on properties that were once waterlogged.

Enter Delray Beach developer William Swaim. He has been a fixture for more than a decade in Palm Beach and Broward counties, buying up land long forgotten by its owners in the Intracoastal Waterway.

Swaim has pursued litigation against municipalities, property owners, international telecommunications companies and condominium complexes over submerged lands he owns in Boca Raton, Ocean Ridge and Broward County. He has sued property owners, saying they must pay him for the right to access the water or use their docks.

A battle in Boca

Now, Swaim is facing an order by a Palm Beach County judge to turn over his computer and cell phone to determine who has financially backed him. The name of William Boose III, a ghost from Palm Beach County’s “corruption county” days, has resurfaced in a response to Swaim’s lawsuit against a Brazilian telecommunication company.

A criminal contempt case was filed against Swaim on Sept. 30, ordering him to show cause why he didn’t turn over his phone, computer and access to his email in the case involving Globenet Cabos Submarinos America.

Swaim has pleaded not guilty and told the judge he couldn’t afford an attorney. One was appointed for a status check scheduled for Dec. 5.

Swaim has extracted settlements from many of the targets of his lawsuits — including telecommunications companies. But he appears to have met his match with Globenet Cabos Submarinos America. The company has an international footprint with cable landing stations across the Americas, including Brazil, Colombia and Bermuda; its headquarters location is generally cited as Fort Lauderdale.

Swaim filed suit against Globenet in 2018 for running its telecommunications under a sliver of submerged land in the middle of the Intracoastal in Boca Raton south of Palmetto Park Road, across from Silver Palm Park. The complaint starts, “This is a story of unbridled corporate greed, gross negligence, malfeasance, and arrogance.”

Just to the north is another 4-acre parcel off Northeast Eighth Avenue that Swaim put on the market for $43 million. That is the same parcel for which Boca Raton City Council members in June rejected a recommendation from a special magistrate and refused to allow Swaim to develop it.

Swaim sought from Globenet $250 million and named 100 “John Does” — who were later identified as big tech companies such as Amazon, Facebook, Netflix and Microsoft — that he said paid Globenet to use its fiber optic cables. 

Globenet — unlike some targets of Swaim lawsuits — didn’t settle. It is represented by powerhouse Florida law firm Greenberg Traurig and its bulldog attorney, Robert R. “Bobby” Kane III.

Kane sought sanctions against Swaim. On May 1, Palm Beach County Circuit Judge John J. Parnofiello agreed, citing discovery violations for failing to turn over his phone and computer as ordered, setting the stage for the misdemeanor charge of indirect criminal contempt.

Years of litigation

Kane, through extensive discovery, was determined to identify Swaim’s financial backers. Boose is named in court documents as a third-party defendant. 

Boose was convicted in 2007 and sentenced to two years in prison in a pay-for-play scandal that led to the downfall of multiple elected officials in Palm Beach County. He was also the town attorney for Ocean Ridge in the mid-1970s.

Globenet says it has definitive proof that Boose was the financial backer of Swaim’s business venture into submerged lands — providing stake money to buy the property, investing millions of dollars.  Kane said that two single-purpose LLCs were used to mask ownership — a fact he said he learned through extensive discovery.

“On the part of Greenberg and Globenet, they are doing everything they can to deliberately drain me of all financial resources,” Swaim told The Coastal Star.  

“There is no endgame except the personal vengeance of Bobby Kane against me personally.”

After six years of protracted litigation, Parnofiello granted summary judgment in January for Globenet against Swaim’s South Spanish Trail LLC, which its attorneys say will set a precedent for future cases involving sovereign submerged lands in Florida.

Another Palm Beach County circuit judge, James Nutt, determined that Swaim’s sovereign submerged lands were actually held in trust for the people of Florida. “The properties are not subject to the plaintiff's private claims of ownership,” Nutt said.

Kane said he and his team have handled multiple cases involving Swaim.

In an August 2024 pleading in an associated case involving another telecommunications defendant, Kane described Swaim as a serial plaintiff who “purports to purchase tracts of land that are entirely submerged underwater and then makes unreasonable demands to the individuals and entities.”

He goes on to say in the pleading that defendants (namely, dock owners and telecommunications companies) have long been utilizing those submerged lands via valid government permits or easements. Swaim then threatens to sue them “unless they pay his ransom.”

 Attorney Jack Goldberger, whose past clients include disgraced financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, has been assigned to prosecute the contempt case along with Kane.

Globenet is just one of a long list of litigants that have been sued by Swaim.

Ocean Ridge dispute

Jeffrey and Amanda Eder own a home directly north of the Ocean Ridge Town Hall along the neighborhood known as McCormick Mile, named after a renowned publisher of the Chicago Tribune who owned land there at one time. The Intracoastal creates a little bay or lagoon for single-family homes and condominiums along the stretch.

In 2015, Swaim’s Waterfront ICW Properties bought the nearly 3.4 acres of submerged land that runs from the 50-unit Wellington Arms condominium complex to a mangrove island for $25,000, records show. He then started filing lawsuits — against property owners like the Eders, as well as the town of Ocean Ridge and the condominium.

Swaim’s company wanted to build a bridge out to the submerged land and construct a sea wall, which Ocean Ridge refused to allow. Palm Beach County Circuit Judge Donald Hafele eventually ruled in 2022 that he didn’t believe the developer really had any firm intention of filling in the land and building.

“He’s never actually built anything on any of these properties, but he’s got litigation on all of them, and he’s just essentially trying to extort money out of people,” Jeffrey Eder said.

Eder said Swaim’s LLC tried to get access through the environmentally sensitive mangroves behind his home. “He claimed he was planning to build a home for himself initially, and that morphed into any number of things,” Eder said. “We prevented him from plowing down an acre and a half of mangroves to build the driveway to a submerged piece of property.”

Eder said that settling with Swaim was out of the question. “We didn’t want to be the people who turned over the keys to the bulldozers that knocked down the rain forest,” he said.

Still, the litigation took its toll. “We went through three different judges before we finally got a judge that would actually hear our case,” he said. “It festered in the courts for years.” 

Waterfront ICW Properties sued the Eders and two other property owners again, this time claiming they were trespassing when they boated over the submerged parcel. If successful, Swaim would have prevented the Eders from accessing the Intracoastal from their home.

But the courts in September ruled against Swaim and his “heavy-handed demands.”

“Swaim’s methods of acquiring submerged lands and leveraging neighbors to purchase an easement have drawn the strong condemnation from several other Florida judges, one of whom found that Swaim’s conduct ‘shocked the conscience of the court’ and was ‘just plain and simply wrong,’” Palm Beach Senior Circuit Judge Richard Oftedal ruled on Sept. 4.

Ocean Ridge and Palm Beach County own the land behind Town Hall. Recently, the town received a $1 million grant to buy a private parcel with plans to possibly put a kayak trail around the mangroves. “There’s a lot of wildlife back there,” Commissioner Carolyn Cassidy said back in January.

Villain or victim?

Boca Raton real estate broker Larry Mastropieri wondered earlier this year on his YouTube channel @DiscoverSouthFlorida if Swaim could be “the Lex Luthor of real estate,” referring to the Superman nemesis. 

He said clients buying on the water are wary of the developer.

“I’ve had questions, like ‘Hey, is Swaim messing around with the water rights right in front of this property? Do you know anything about it?’” Mastropieri recalled. “So is he like, you know, a super villain? Maybe. I’d say people probably perceive him that way.”

Swaim says he is no villain — a victim, maybe.

He never planned the litigation against Globenet, saying he learned about the telecommunications company boring underneath the Intracoastal after he purchased the property. Swaim said his LLCs have been buying deeds since 2015 and have amassed about 40.

Swaim’s strategy typically involves properties owned by out-of-state family members. “People, basically, they’ve inherited it, and they don’t know what to do with it. Sometimes they don’t even know they own it,” he said.

Eder said Swaim’s basic MO is to get the last surviving member of some 50-year-old defunct Florida corporation to sign a quitclaim deed to submerged property and then create an LLC around that piece of property.

“That’s his business model,” Eder said.

In Ocean Ridge, Swaim said it was discovered after he purchased the property that the state of Florida had leased it to the homeowners’ association at Wellington Arms to build docks. He sued the state and won a victory when a court ruled in 2019 that the Spanish Creek lagoon that runs along McCormick Mile was man-made and could be developed — but he later lost the war with Hafele’s decision on intent.

Private or public?

Open water is considered “sovereign land” belonging to the state of Florida, according to the state statutes. Property owners have “riparian rights” to use the water in a “reasonable” manner for swimming, boating, drinking, and allowing cattle to quench their thirst. Such water must have been navigable at the time of Florida’s statehood in 1845 or developed that way naturally.

Artificial bodies of water, however, may be privately owned and landowners do not have riparian rights. 

Swaim appeared at the Ocean Ridge Town Commission meeting in May to speak during public comments with “some concerns” regarding the town’s proposed sea wall ordinance. 

“The Intracoastal is a privately owned piece of property with an easement for the Army Corps of Engineers to operate a canal line for navigational purposes,” he said. 

Swaim comes across as an Encyclopedia Britannica on the Intracoastal. He said the Florida East Coast Canal Company operated as a tollway until Henry Flagler’s railroad put it out of business. The Army Corps really only has an easement to operate in a 125-foot navigational center channel, he said.

“That’s it. So the underlying owners can do whatever they want to do with their property,” he said. “Sell easements, sell density rights, sell dockage rights, whatever, as long as they don’t obstruct the navigation of the Intracoastal,” Swaim explained.

Competing accusations

Regarding the 4-acre Boca Raton parcel, a special magistrate for the city in May found Boca Raton had acted inappropriately in stopping Swaim from developing the property at 3000 NE Eighth Ave. But the City Council rejected the recommendation.

Kane, Globenet’s attorney, said Swaim targets neighboring property owners and companies illegitimately. 

“These are not bona fide property disputes; they constitute a deliberate scheme to devalue the assets of the affected parties and extract exorbitant payments through the threat of prolonged litigation,” he said.

Swaim says his current legal predicament, with him facing a misdemeanor criminal contempt, is the result of a personal vendetta by Kane to put him behind bars.

“I would look up civil conspiracy to arrest and intimidate, and it’s exactly what Greenberg and Bobby Kane and the rest of the attorneys for Globenet are doing,” he said

Kane, though, said his motivation is simple:

“The court’s rulings have squarely rejected Swaim’s attempts to take sovereign lands that belong to our children and future generations of Floridians,” he said. “Our work strengthens the constitutional framework of Florida’s Public Trust Doctrine, ensuring the protection of the state’s waterways for decades to come.”  

Workers prepare rental chairs and umbrellas on Delray Beach’s public beach. Photos by Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

By John Pacenti

If the beloved child cartoon character Waldo were basking in the sun by the Delray Beach pavilion on this November Saturday, he might never be found — swallowed up in a sea of beach chairs and umbrellas, mixed in with people who don’t pay the rental fee and are spread out on blankets in between.

“Between the parking and the chairs, I have to spend 80 bucks to sit my butt down on a beach, on a public beach, and that’s the truth,” Butch Zumpf, who frequently visits from Chicago, said on a beautiful Nov. 8 day that reminds us all why we live in South Florida.

Once again, the issue of beach space was the talk of some circles in Delray Beach, and whether it’s a good idea to allow Oceanside Beach Service to place chairs on the sand before even renting them out.

Delray resident Jim Delrae — we kid you not, that is his real name — started posting on the issue in the Facebook group Delray Matters on Nov. 1 under the heading “Just Venting.” 

Delrae — a somewhat recent transplant from the Phoenix area — explained later, “They had monopolized everywhere that they left nowhere for anyone else to sit, because that was the only space there was, and they filled it up with their chairs instead.”

Well, The Coastal Star decided to investigate and ended up on the beach by the pavilion near Atlantic Avenue that Saturday, where we found plenty of people echoing Delrae.

To be fair, this is not exactly a new issue. Some could say it comes and goes like the king tides — which are particularly prevalent at this time of year. Erosion from Hurricanes Imelda and Humberto churning off the coast in late September and early October made it even tougher to find your own place on the beach without paying $60 a day for a chair and umbrella (or $15 per hour).

And there’s a bonus: sargassum — that stinky seaweed — is still making its authority known this fall.

Yet, even put-out beachgoers are in a good mood. 

Zumpf, for instance, was part of an extended group of brothers, sisters, husbands and wives, wedged in between the chairs and umbrellas. They have condos here and have been visiting for 40 years.

Empty chairs take up space

JoAnne Bobus — part of the Chicago group — said she thought a good idea would be for Oceanside to put up beach chairs only when customers pay it to do so — similar to resorts everywhere. She said even on weekdays it’s tough to stake a claim.

“We still had a hard time on Friday to find a spot, but none of them [the chairs] were taken,” she said. “If they would just do it as needed, right? Somebody wants tables, OK, where would you like to go? I like that idea.”

“This little chunk was the best she could find — and that was at 10 in the morning,” said Jan Zumpf, spouse of Butch, talking about Bobus.

Rick Drnek, another member of the Chicago group, said, “Over the years, it’s morphed into something I don’t think it was intended to be.”

He then told the story of how an Oceanside worker asked him to move over on the sand because he was in the shade of the rental umbrella. “The guy’s sitting right behind us, renting, and he felt awkward and I felt awkward,” Drnek said.

There were a lot of ghosts on the beach that day, as well, taking up seemingly empty chairs and umbrellas. At one spot near the water, there was an arc of six chairs and three umbrellas waiting for customers to manifest.

While tourist season is roaring to its eventual peak, the beach space is an issue for Delray Beach residents, as most weekend visitors will pay for a chair and umbrella without complaint.

People who flocked to Delray Beach’s public beach on a recent Saturday morning rented the Oceanside Beach Service chairs placed out in advance.

Catering to tourists

Chet Gilbert, wearing a hat from The Boys Farmers Market — the Delray Beach iconic grocer — said if he has to, he will move a rental chair to get space. Spouse Marta Gilbert said, “We still love it here.”

Oceanside Beach Service’s upper management didn’t return a message to call back to comment on this story. Instead, The Coastal Star found its enthusiastic company ambassador, Andre Fladell, who called himself an operational consultant.

He said the service changed hands several times before a South Carolina operator took over in the 1990s, but ultimately abandoned it. “He wasn’t making money, and just left everything on the beach,” Fladell said. 

For a while, he said two drunks took over the abandoned chairs — one nicknamed Colt 45 because he opened beer cans with his teeth — and were charging tourists. Fladell said he approached his friend Michael Novatka, Oceanside’s owner, to come to Delray Beach and take over the operation in the 2000s.

Fladell said the current beach chair system operates under strict guidelines. Lifeguards determine chair placement to ensure emergency access and visibility. 

Putting out empty chairs is aimed at catering to tourists who are spending a lot of money for rooms at resorts in Delray Beach, he said. The Opal Grand Resort & Spa is diagonally across State Road A1A from the pavilion, which is undergoing renovations this tourist season and is off-limits to all.

“In season, people started complaining because their cousins, their uncles, their grandchildren would come down and say, ‘Can we have a chair?’ And ‘No’ was not the answer they were looking for,” Fladell explained.

City manager has discretion

The city provided The Coastal Star with two contracts for Oceanside. Novatka signed a contract in January 2014 for a total of 250 beach chairs, cabanas, umbrellas and clamshells. In the new contract, signed in February 2024, the number of chairs and accessories expanded to 400 — 50 at Atlantic Dunes Park near Linton Boulevard.

The current five-year contract is worth nearly $2.3 million to the city. It does have a carve-out: “The maximum allowable number of chairs may be lowered by the City of Delray Beach as needed due to erosion, diminished beach size, special events or other circumstances.”

City Manager Terrence Moore has, according to the contract, discretion as to the number of beach chairs allowed in these circumstances. 

Beachgoers said they saw no such change when the twin hurricanes led to significant erosion in October. They were followed by king tides that further eroded the space available to set up shop.

The premium space is around the pavilion. It’s within walking distance of restaurants and resorts. There was plenty of space, though, about a half mile north on the beach across from Thomas Street — albeit on a Monday, Nov. 24. 

That’s where resident Susan Eben set up her towel and tent on a postcard-blue-sky day. She has heard the concern down the beach but heeded it no mind.

“This is a slice of paradise. I try not to complain,” she said.

She’s a petite pescatarian with green eyes and perky ears. Her brown hair is highlighted with streaks of black and apricot. Something about her staggering gait is endearing. 

She’s a cute little cat with thyroid and neurological issues and she recently moved into our house.

Pippi had been the office cat for The Coastal Star for 11 years. She ruled the roost since she was a tiny kitten — shredding her stuffed mice across the floor and inspecting everyone’s carried-in lunch. 

Through the years and multiple serious health issues, she prevailed. 

The plan had always been for this particular foundling to live with our office manager, Kathleen, should we ever need to move the fluffy one from the office. Heartbreakingly, Kathleen died of brain cancer complications long before that could occur. 

Pippi has never really been the same. I believe she misses her breakfast companion, who regularly shared some cream cheese from her morning bagel.

Relocating our newspaper office recently left us with no choice but to move our special-needs office cat to a new home. 

Although we had gracious adoption offers from staff, my husband and I decided she needed a quiet place to live out her final years. So here she is — a cat that exemplifies the nature versus nurture conundrum. 

Having lived mostly alone throughout her life, she’s unlike any other feline I’ve taken in. I don’t know how she’s going to react to a Christmas tree, visiting children or large family dinners. But I suspect she’ll adjust to the holidays just fine. 

There’s no question that she’s an odd little cat, but also no doubt she’s a survivor.

I’m hopeful we can say the same for the humans in our area who will be struggling to find housing and feed themselves and their families this coming month. I think the least I can do is earmark the same amount I spend on pet care in a month (special food, vet bills and compounded medications aren’t cheap) to an organization helping to house and feed local families in need.

Some even help with food for family pets. This feels like a simple holiday pledge I can make and keep. If you’re a pet lover like I am, I hope you’ll do the same.

If you have questions about where to donate, contact your local library, police or firefighters. They’ll help guide you. 

— Mary Kate Leming, Executive Editor Emeritus

Patty Larkin holds her cat, Tres, in the lobby of her Boca Raton condo. She volunteers at HomeSafe for abuse victims and is organizing its Jan. 24 Classic Rock & Roll Party. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

By Kathleen Kernicky

For almost a decade, Patty Larkin has been a pivotal force behind the scenes at HomeSafe, a nonprofit organization in Palm Beach County that serves victims of child abuse and domestic violence. 

As a community volunteer and donor, Larkin helps plan and organize HomeSafe’s signature fundraising events, including the annual Classic Rock & Roll Party, and she serves as an ambassador at its charity golf tournament. (She and her husband also play in the tournament.) 

HomeSafe, founded in 1979, operates programs that serve more than 15,000 infants, children and families each year, including residential group care for abused children and an independent living program for young adults aging out of foster care. 

To Larkin, 68, of Boca Raton, HomeSafe is investing in the community by improving the future of children, teens and young adults. 

“They help children and families who are struggling and that benefits everybody,” Larkin said. “If we can help young people in our community who are struggling, it might help with some of the problems we see nationwide, including mental health issues. These are kids who have had a tough life.” 

Larkin was born in Pinehurst, North Carolina. Her family later moved to Colorado before they settled in Augusta, Georgia. Her parents “immersed themselves in the community,” instilling that value in her. After graduating from Augusta College with a psychology degree, she worked as a substitute teacher and traveled extensively during a 30-year career as a flight attendant at Delta Air Lines. 

She has lived in South Florida since 1980. At Delta, she met her husband, Peter Larkin, now a retired airline captain who is a volunteer and supporter at HomeSafe. Married for 34 years, they live near a son, daughter and grandson in Boca Raton, where they’re members of the Royal Palm Yacht & Country Club. 

“About a decade ago, a friend of mine who was involved in HomeSafe brought me into it,” Larkin said. “These events are a lot of fun to plan and organize. They raise a lot of money. The main goal is to grow the amount to continue services for those who aren’t as fortunate. People like that when they support HomeSafe, it goes directly into the community. Everything stays locally.”

Earlier this year, Larkin and other supporters heard from a young woman named Kathrell, who was put in foster care at age 11. Four years later, she began treatment at HomeSafe. When she turned 18, HomeSafe provided her with affordable housing and life skills.

Now 24, Kathrell graduated in 2024 from Florida Atlantic University. She has since found a job and moved into her own apartment. “I am most proud that I didn’t let my past determine my future,” she said.

Larkin said: “We see the progress that they make at HomeSafe. We hear them talk about their plans and how the program helps them reach their goals. And that’s rewarding.” 

Larkin is looking forward to HomeSafe’s next Classic Rock & Roll fundraiser on Jan. 24 starting at 6 p.m.

The event will be held at the grand ballroom at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood and feature rock artist Mike DelGuidice.

“We’ll get a table and hopefully get some new people who will want to support this wonderful organization,” said Larkin.

The charity golf tournament is May 4 at the Royal Palm Yacht & Country Club.

Larkin believes in the adage that it’s better to give than receive. “If more people thought about that, things would be a lot better for everyone,” she said.

For details about the party, visit helphomesafe.org/theclassic2026. 

NOMINATE SOMEONE TO BE A COASTAL STAR 

Send a note to news@thecoastalstar.com or call 561-337-1553.

By John Pacenti

Ocean Ridge officials gathered Nov. 3 for a pivotal workshop setting the town’s course for capital projects and resiliency efforts, while tackling fiscal strategy in the face of legislative uncertainty.

Town Manager Michelle Heiser laid out the agenda, marking the start of the new fiscal year as the “appropriate time to say, ‘Hey, what’s going on and where are we going?’”

Commissioners in September passed a $14.8 million operating budget, a 9.6% increase over the fiscal year 2025 budget. It includes $4.36 million to address the aging water pipe system in the southern part of town and other capital improvements.

Heiser updated commissioners on the Harbour Drive North drainage initiative, telling them the Army Corps of Engineers has approved the town’s permit. “So that’s a big thumbs up,” Heiser said.

Finalizing easements and responding to feedback from the South Florida Water Management District are the next hurdles, with a resolution planned for December to address water accumulating on the street.

On the town sea wall project along Hudson Avenue, Heiser advised patience while awaiting a critical state grant. “If somebody’s going to give us half a million dollars to go towards it, we want that money, absolutely right,” she said. The project is ranked No. 12 for state funding in the current fiscal year, with a decision anticipated by spring, she said.

Officials outlined progress on other key initiatives as well. The Phase 2 modernization of water pipes in front of Town Hall is over 30% designed, and the permitting has been submitted, with late spring, early summer looking like when shovels will be in the ground.

Phase 4, from Ocean Avenue to Thompson Street, is also at 30% design. The project has been expedited because of long-standing issues with water pressure, which compromised fire protection capabilities there.

Resiliency was a repeated theme.

The workshop covered plans for tidal and retaining walls behind homes on Hudson Avenue — seen as crucial for managing persistent tidal issues. “At this point, we’re relying on a berm, and the berm continues to break, and we have to go back in and ask them to refill it. So it’s something to consider in the future,” Heiser said.

She also said the town should get back to property acquisition as part of its resiliency plan. 

Commissioner Ainar Aijala Jr. said he is working on budget projections to determine whether future property tax collections would be sufficient to fund the capital expenses or if other revenue sources needed to be considered, such as a bond measure. “Should we be worried? Should we be concerned?” he said.

Officials discussed additional revenue sources, from municipal service taxing units for neighborhood stormwater projects to franchise and utility fees. “That’s user-fee-based, meaning the only ones that are paying for that area are the people that live there,” Heiser said.

State legislation’s impact on municipal budgets and tax structures loomed in the background. “Often, we’re just sitting and waiting, just waiting for them, because we can do exercises and math all day long, but it could be going nowhere until they actually pass something,” Heiser remarked.

Heiser also outlined maintenance priorities. “Repaving. We’ve had that in the list on your capital (improvements) in the past, and we just skipped that in the last couple of years. So, I’d like to get back to that,” she said.

The bidding process has also started for Town Hall and Police Department hardening. It includes re-roofing and replacing any windows or doors that need hurricane resistance to mitigate future damage claims, Heiser said.

By Jane Musgrave

For three days in November, Mark Feinstein sat in a Palm Beach County courtroom, hoping a fellow Ocean Ridge resident would be held accountable for falsely accusing him of engaging in a bizarre sexual act.

The former president of the Turtle Beach condominium association got his wish when the jury, after roughly an hour of deliberation, agreed that 38-year-old Sean Currie libeled Feinstein in September 2022 when he posted the accusation on the town’s Facebook page.  

The jury ordered Currie to pay Feinstein $135,000 to compensate the 66-year-old attorney for the damage the inflammatory, obscene and unfounded allegation did to his reputation.

“They gave me back my name,” a jubilant Feinstein said a day after the jury reached its verdict. “It’s not about the money. It’s never been about the money. It’s about giving me back my name.”

Attorney Matthew Haynes, who represented Feinstein, agreed. “He held Mark’s name and legacy hostage and the jury set it free,” he said.

Neither Currie nor his attorney returned emails for comment about whether they would appeal. During the trial, they argued that Currie had a First Amendment right to express his views about Feinstein. Currie signed the post and, in sworn statements, readily admitted he wrote it.

Currie testified that he chose the term carefully, knowing it was both obscure and disgusting, which meant it would get a lot of attention. He laughed at his word choice, but insisted that he wasn’t trying to hurt Feinstein.

“I made my statements to hopefully bring awareness to the issues that were going on in my town,” Currie testified. 

The issue was beach access. At the time, Currie was living with his parents on Tropical Drive, which borders the yellow 26-unit oceanfront condominium a half-mile south of Woolbright Road.

Inflamed after Turtle Beach in 2021 erected “No Trespassing” signs on its stretch of the beach, Currie and his neighbors began their campaign against the condominium association.

Currie ripped down a sign, leading to his arrest on a charge of criminal mischief. While the charge was dropped after he agreed to reimburse the association $300 for the sign, the feud escalated.

Tropical Drive resident Bryan Joffe paid $40,000 for two strips of land — one leading to the beach and another that borders the condominium’s back entrance and has long been used by Turtle Beach for garbage pickup. 

Joffe turned the land over to Sunrise Beach LLC, a company formed by fellow Tropical Drive residents, including Currie and his mother.

In 2023, the corporation sued Turtle Beach, demanding that the condo association get off its land. The association countersued, claiming it had used the property for years for garbage pickup and essentially had “squatters rights.”

The suit was settled last summer for undisclosed terms. The only concrete evidence of the settlement came in May when a wooden gate was erected to give Tropical Drive residents exclusive access to the path that leads to the beach.

Feinstein said he bore the brunt of the battle because he was president of the condominium association’s board.

When the feud was raging, Currie regularly assailed Feinstein, hurling anti-semitic epithets at him, often punctuated with an obscenity, Feinstein said. Currie didn’t deny Feinstein’s claims, insisting his actions were justified.

“Because he is a horrible person and he’s Jewish, so, therefore, it’s an apt derogatory slur,” Currie said during a deposition in the libel case. “I wouldn’t call him the slur for an Italian or a Black person, because he’s not Italian or Black.”

Currie took a similar stance during the trial. “I think most of the time I use the worst possible language when referring to him,” said Currie, who now lives in California.

While he said he regularly uses racial and ethnic slurs if someone’s behavior justifies it, he insisted he’s not a bigot.

“If they’re a woman, I call them (words) appropriate to a woman. If they’re a man who is a particular way, I use that word,” Currie testified. “I use the appropriate words based on the context which they are in. That is not bigotry.”

Feinstein said he took no joy in suing Currie. Had Currie asked the town to hide the obscene post, or written another one explaining that his allegation was untrue, Feinstein said he would have dropped the lawsuit.

But, he said, Currie refused.

“He wouldn’t give me an apology, but the jury did,” Feinstein said. “They gave me the apology.”

Haynes said he hopes the jury verdict teaches a valuable lesson to Currie and others who use social media to launch baseless attacks on political foes.

“The verdict reaffirms that this behavior is not acceptable in Ocean Ridge — a beautiful community — or anywhere in Palm Beach County,” Haynes said. 

Ocean Ridge Commissioners Carolyn Cassidy and David Hutchins retained their seats when they filed for reelection and no one filed to oppose them. The qualifying deadline was Nov. 14.

It will be Cassidy’s second term. She was first elected in March 2023 in a bitter race, becoming the top vote getter among three candidates.

Cassidy has made the most of her first term, spearheading the effort for the town to hire a lobbyist to seek state appropriations for its many projects. She received the Gold Certificate of Excellence from the Florida League of Cities.

The commission chose Hutchins, a retired airline pilot, in November 2023 to join the commission after two commissioners announced they would resign because of changes in the state’s financial disclosure requirements. He took office in January 2024.

Hutchins then finished third out of four candidates for three open seats in the town’s March 2024 election. That showing won him a two-year unexpired term on the commission instead of a full three-year term. 

Hutchins previously sat on the town’s Planning and Zoning Commission.

Mayor Geoff Pugh at the Nov. 3 commission meeting — before the filing deadline — said he hoped that the current makeup of the panel could remain intact. 

“This is one of the best commissions we’ve had in a very, very long time. ... It’s been a pleasure,” Pugh said.

— John Pacenti

By John Pacenti

Manalapan commissioners will take legal action to ensure their concerns about beach erosion and Palm Beach County’s sand transfer plant at the Boynton Inlet are addressed, voting to hire a seasoned environmental attorney to represent it before state regulators.

At the Nov. 4 commission meeting, elected leaders voiced frustration over the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s decision to extend the county’s permit for operating the sand transfer plant — an operation town leaders say has profound impacts on the community’s coastline. 

The sand transfer plant takes sand from Manalapan that accumulates on the north side of the inlet and pumps it southward to Ocean Ridge and points beyond. The town learned of the state’s intent to grant the extension in late October and was given only a brief window to formally oppose the decision.

Efforts to collaborate with the county have largely been unsuccessful, leaving the town without meaningful policies affecting its fragile beaches, which have basically disappeared in front of some homes. 

The commission agreed to retain John Fumero, former general counsel for the South Florida Water Management District, to lead the town’s challenge.

“He is truly the local go-to person in terms of these kinds of administrative permits, water issues, the beach erosion issues that we’re grappling with,” said Town Attorney Keith Davis.

“The goal here is to get our foot in the door, get that seat at the table, get everyone’s attention, finally, and be able to have those conversations,” he said. Past legal challenges by the town have been unsuccessful.

Discussions during the meeting highlighted concerns with the sand transfer plant’s contract, including what officials described as a lack of scientific justification for operational figures from the county and an absence of transparency about the sand transfer plant’s impacts on local beaches.

“How much sand is being taken? There has to be a real calculation, and really, they don’t do enough. It’s really a laissez-faire situation,” said Town Manager Eric Marmer. “When you dig deeper, it’s like, ‘Where do you get these numbers from?’” 

Marmer said it’s befuddling that the FDEP permit declares the plant — built in 1937 — has no impact on the beach.

An engineer and beach erosion expert hired by the town to look at its erosion issue said in July that the transfer plant — which pumps sand south across the inlet because the inlet blocks the natural southward flow of the sand — plays only a small part in erosion and that sea walls in town are the main culprit.

Marmer said he has been skeptical about the sand transfer plant’s greatly affecting Manalapan’s coastline until recently.

“I went down there and I could literally see the avulsion created by the sand transfer plant on our beach,” he said.

He said the plant has been a thorn in the town’s side since nearly the town’s founding in 1931.

“Manalapan residents in the ’30s and the ’40s were concerned about this, and it’s well documented,” he said. 

Kamila Diaz joins Lantana Ocean Rescue chief Marc Fichtner as he receives an award from the Town Council for helping to rescue her after a shark had severed the leash to her surfboard. Photos provided

By Patrick Sherry

A Lantana lifeguard walked away with an award instead of a shark bite after helping rescue a surfer.

The Lantana Town Council, at its Nov. 10 meeting, presented Marc Fichtner with the award for his actions that helped save a surfer while a shark was in the water. 

Kamila Diaz was surfing at the Lantana Municipal Beach on Oct. 8 when a 5- to 6-foot shark severed the leash to her surfboard. Luckily, Fichtner, who is chief of the Lantana Ocean Rescue Division, was out doing rough water training and noticed Diaz in distress. He jumped into action and returned her to land safely. 

Fichtner helped Diaz return to shore at the Lantana Municipal Beach after she met him halfway.

“Not many people go into the water where there are sharks knowingly,” said Eddie Crockett, the town’s director of public services. “This is what he did without even thinking about it.”

Diaz has been surfing in Lantana for almost three years in all conditions. She said that what happened was very unexpected.

“I’m glad that I knew how to handle the situation at first and managed to somewhat swim back, and then Marc helped me and the rest of the lifeguards with everything else,” Diaz said. “I’m just really grateful that the worst was avoided, and I’m still alive.” 

Fichtner thanked the council for the award and praised Diaz for her bravery, which led to her meeting him halfway in the water. He mentioned how his team trains for these situations often, but they are very rare. 

“I’m really honored,” said Fichtner. “We always, as lifeguards, talk about two things: there’s a plane crash in front of the tower or a shark attack. Maybe you see one in your career of 20, 30 years. I’m glad that my training kicked in, my partner’s training kicked in, and we’re able to do what we do.” 

Fichtner also said his team has received the U.S. Lifesaving Association Advanced Agency Certification. The certification recognizes and encourages high training standards for lifeguard agencies. 

By Brian Biggane

The first South Palm Beach mayoral race in recent memory is shaping up after citizen activist and Town Hall project critic Rafael Pineiro filed his papers on the first day of eligibility in early November for the March 10 election.

In addition, two other residents — Fran Attardi and Adrian Burcet — whom Pineiro said he encouraged to run filed to compete against three Town Council incumbents whose seats are also up for election. That raises the possibility of a new majority on the five-member council, one that would likely alter the direction of the Town Hall project, which has dominated local politics for several years.

Incumbent Mayor Bonnie Fischer, who was elected to the Town Council in 2011 and has held the mayoral seat since defeating the former incumbent in 2015, has run unopposed in her last three elections.

“People know me,” Fischer said. “My record stands for what I’ve done. I’m proud of how I’ve handled myself and always looked toward what’s best for the town.”

Vice Mayor Monte Berendes and Council members Elvadianne Culbertson and Sandra Beckett, the latter two having been appointed to their current council seats, also qualified to run in March. 

The top two vote getters of the five council candidates will win regular four-year terms and the third-place finisher a two-year unexpired term.

‘Whole premise is wrong’

Pineiro has been a constant opponent this year of the Town Hall project. He collected signatures for a petition earlier this year aimed at convincing the council to retrofit the current structure rather than move forward with plans to tear it down and build a new, larger $6.5 million one.

“I had given up, sent a letter to Bonnie congratulating her on achieving what she wanted, but then I found that whole premise is wrong,” Pineiro said. 

Even though renovating the building might be more than half the cost of the Town Hall’s current value, Pineiro says the existing structure is good enough and going the renovation route will save the town several million dollars.

But Fischer and Berendes said studies done years ago stipulated the cost of a retrofit is far more than 50% of the value and a new building is a must.

The assessed value of the building this year was $3.3 million, meaning a retrofit is a must if the renovation is to cost more than $1.65 million. That means the whole building would have to be updated to meet current Florida Building Code standards, including the costly task of raising the building’s ground level. Even Pineiro’s most conservative renovation figure for his plan is $1.7 million.

“It’s nice that Rafael is taking an interest,” Berendes said, “but he doesn’t know what he’s talking about.”

Pineiro said his plan would raise the building by three feet, then use a process called dry flood-proofing — by which a structure can be made watertight below the expected flood level — to assure the building could last for many years to come. However, he said the dry flood-proofing would add another $1 million to his estimated cost. 

Sidewalk an issue as well

He said a greater area of concern for residents is fixing the sidewalk that runs along the west side of State Road A1A, which he said has deteriorated to the point where one or more residents are falling every month. The council has discussed the issue multiple times in recent months, but consistently points to the fact the sidewalk is the responsibility of the Florida Department of Transportation.

“I’m sure that if you asked our residents which is more important, the Town Hall or the sidewalk, most would say the sidewalk,” said Pineiro, who claimed other municipalities have used their own money to fix a bad sidewalk and then been compensated by the state.

Council race

Among the council incumbents up for election, Berendes is the longest-serving — it will be four years in March — having won his seat in 2022. He was elevated to vice mayor in June 2024. 

Culbertson, who previously served on the council from 2016 to 2021, was appointed to her seat by the council in April 2024, while Beckett was appointed in December 2024. 

Culbertson replaced the retired Robert Gottlieb, chosen by the council from among three applicants. Beckett later was the only applicant for the seat she received.

First-time candidate Attardi is a native of New Jersey and has been a South Palm Beach resident for three years. She runs a pet concierge business known as Francy Paws. She spent many years in New Jersey as the owner of Jersey Sporting News, a publication covering high school sports across the state.

Burcet is currently employed as a FedEx operations administrator and has been a South Palm Beach resident for eight years. 

Correction: The printed version and a previous online version incorrectly identified Adrian Burcet's employment. He is an operations administrator for FedEx.