The Council of Catholic Women of St. Lucy Church in Highland Beach has decorated its Giving Tree for the season. The tree is adorned with donation requests for underserved people in the community. To support them and brighten their holidays, parishioners select a recipient and shop or donate items requested on the paper angels decorating the tree. Recipients of this goodwill are local groups: AVDA (Aid to Victims of Domestic Abuse), Birthline/lifeline (which helps pregnant women and their babies), Fisher House (a group that supports veterans and their families), and St. Mary’s of Pahokee (a church in western Palm Beach County).  
ABOVE: (l-r) CCW members Diana Barrens, Glenn O’Neill, Mary Alice Dill and Rose Bond at the debut of the Giving Tree.  Photo provided

By Janis Fontaine

St. Joseph’s Episcopal Church’s Spontaneous Christmas Pageant is on hiatus for one more year, says children’s minster Dee Zlatic, wife of Pastor Marty Zlatic.
The showcase of children from the congregation is a popular event, filling the church to overflowing. Coronavirus infections may be down, but church leaders decided on a safer outdoor celebration again in 2022.
The church will host its third Drive-thru Bethlehem from 4-5 p.m. on Christmas Eve. Church members have created a series of vignettes with live actors that tell the Nativity story, and guests drive through the Boynton Beach campus using a simple prayer sheet to follow along. Christmas hymns and carols will be broadcast between stations. There is also a stay-in-your-car Communion station at the end. 
Also at St. Joe’s: A special fundraiser will take place from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Dec. 3. This Santa’s Workshop will feature unusual handmade gifts by people in Madagascar. The sale will raise money to bring a group to perform Miaraka: A Time to Dance, a musical about redemption, at three churches in Palm Beach County in March.
The gifts include handmade fabrics and bead necklaces made from upcycled magazine paper. Bring your dull knives for sharpening. A Christmas cookie sale and a hot dog lunch are also planned.
For more information, call the church at 561-732-3060 or visit www.stjoesweb.org.

Happy Anniversary
St. Gregory’s Episcopal Church in Boca Raton will celebrate its 69th anniversary on Dec. 4 with a brunch after the 10 a.m. service.
The festivities include raffles and a silent auction that features yacht trips and intimate dinners.
One of the most coveted dinners is the one with the auction winner and the Rt. Rev. Peter Eaton, bishop of the Diocese of Southeast Florida, enjoying a meal prepared by the Rev. Andrew Sherman and his family. The money raised supports the church’s missions. Call 561-395-8285.
Other noteworthy events at St. Gregory’s:
• Open house: On Dec. 11, after each service, the church will host an open house at the rectory. Come and have tea, coffee and pastries and meet the church leaders.
• Bake sale: On Dec. 18 the Episcopal Church Women will hold a bake sale after services. Proceeds support the ECW’s missions.

Children’s Christmas show
First Presbyterian Church of Delray Beach presents the children’s choir in its first evening performance of its Christmas pageant, “Sing with us the Christmas Story,” at 6 p.m. Dec. 11 in the church’s sanctuary. This short musical tells the story of the first Christmas. A reception follows in Fellowship Hall where guests can meet the performers. Free.
First Presbyterian is at 33 Gleason St. Call 561-276-6338 or visit https://firstdelray.com.
Also happening at First Presbyterian Church:
• The Deacons’ Christmas Tree, which raises money to provide 300 $25 gift cards to children in our community, supports these five agencies: Achievement Centers for Children & Families, Adopt-A-Family of the Palm Beaches, AVDA (Aid to Victims of Domestic Abuse), Boys and Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County, and Milagro Center.
Here’s how you can help this more than 50-year-old tradition: Mail a check with “Deacons’ Xmas Tree” on the memo line. Drop off a check in the lobby offering box. Or easiest: Donate at https://firstdelray.com/give. Include “Deacons’ Xmas Tree” in the notes section.
• The Holly House Holiday Gift Shop is still open for shopping from 10 a.m. to noon Tuesdays and Thursdays and 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, until Dec. 18. Call 561-330-0245.

Music at St. Paul’s  
Music at St. Paul’s rings in the holidays with its annual concert, A Festival of Lessons & Carols, at 3 p.m. Dec. 11.
The concert features the Chancel Choir of St. Paul’s under the direction of David Macfarlane and will also feature congregational Christmas carols and lighting of candles. Organ voluntaries by César Franck and Gerald Near will be played on the Moeller pipe organ.
“A series of readings leading from the Hebrew scripture prophecies to the New Testament birth story is complemented with Christmas carols from a variety of traditions to create a beautiful, seasonal celebration,” Macfarlane said.
 A Festival of Lessons & Carols is open to the public, and St. Paul’s Episcopal Church is handicapped accessible. A freewill offering supports Music at St. Paul’s programming.
The church is at 188 S. Swinton Ave., Delray Beach. 561-276-4541 or https://musicstpauls.org.  

Happy Hanukkah!
Old School Square will again host the lighting of the menorah at sundown on Dec. 18, the first night of Hanukkah.
Rabbi Shmuel Biston of Chabad of East Delray, who will speak again this year, expects a record turnout. Previous years have drawn crowds of more than 1,500 people.
Delray Beach Police Chief Russ Mager has been asked to light the first candle.
An Israeli Beatles tribute band, in town for the Beatles on the Beach festival, will perform, Biston said. There also will be games for the kids and lots of festive treats.
Old School Square is at 51 S. Swinton Ave., Delray Beach.

Send religion news to Janis Fontaine at fontaine423@outlook.com

By Janis Fontaine

We asked some of our friends in the religious community to tell us about their most memorable Christmas or Hanukkah gifts. Here are their touching, thoughtful reflections.

A grateful recipient
The Christmas season brings with it the spirit of reflection and joyful anticipation for the year to come. For me, the season is a reminder of the art of being a grateful receiver.
In 2020, in the middle of COVID, my family got the news that my dad had been diagnosed with esophageal cancer. One of the silver linings of COVID and the normalization of virtual learning was I had opportunities to fly back and forth to my hometown of Memphis, Tennessee, to spend time with my family.
During one of my visits, my dad and I were going through his closet, cleaning, sorting things, and mostly just talking. Out of one of his drawers, he pulled out a pair of thick, wool, dog print tube socks. “You need these, Genevieve. You love dogs!”
My first reaction was to remind him how incredibly hot it is in South Florida, and how I wouldn’t be able to wear them.
After a long pause, he said, “Well, I don’t think I’ll be able to wear them where I am going either. Just accept the gift, Genevieve, you can always throw them away later.”
These socks represent a defining moment in my life. They help me remember that over the course of life, you will be likely to find yourself being offered a meaningful gift. It could be a tangible item, or someone’s time, their money, their advice, their help. Dad’s dog socks help me remember how incredibly precious this act of giving is — that this person cares for you, loves you, and wants to support you so much that they offer up a little piece of themselves.
Every gift that comes from the heart has the ability to strengthen a relationship. Accept the gifts you’re offered, graciously and with thanks. You may not realize how meaningful they are until later.

— Genevieve Hoppe, head of school, Unity School of Delray Beach

A symbolic acorn
As a pastor for nearly 36 years, I have experienced generosity beyond anything I deserve — from a Starbucks gift card to an all-expense-paid trip to Israel with my wife. Yet, the singular gift that quickens my heart and draws tears of gratitude each Christmas was given in June of 2012, when I said goodbye to a congregation in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, that I had loved for over 12 years to accept a new ministry in Delray Beach.
One of my dearest friends in that church presented me with a tiny box wrapped with clumsy 75-year-old fingers. Over the last 12 years, we had buried his wife, shared more lunches than I can count, spent hours together driving scenic roads and took a day trip to New York City marked by continuous laughter.
Inside, I found a gold acorn Christmas ornament. He said that 12 years ago when I became his pastor, I was then only an acorn in his life. But in that time, our relationship has grown into a mighty oak tree.
Some months ago, Bill moved his church membership to the church triumphant and he will celebrate his first Christmas with his Lord in heaven this year. That simple gold ornament hangs on my Christmas tree and each time I see that small acorn, I’m filled with gratitude for the gifts of friendship and love we shared.

— Doug Hood, senior pastor, First Presbyterian Church of Delray Beach

Grandson changed me
Some people say, “I don’t really care about gifts, I have everything I want.”
I envy them because I care about gifts and still seem to want things. As a Christian pastor I preach annually that “Jesus is the best gift of this and any Christmas.”
And I believe it.
But the second-best gift I ever received was in the middle of the pandemic, three days before Christmas when my grandson was born. It may be commonplace to say, “I didn’t realize how much it would change me,” but it has changed me. And my wife, Grandma Zu Zu, and my son, now “Dad.”
It’s the reason climate change is really starting to bother me. The change shows in how much I hope he’ll play guitar like me. He wasn’t on any list or in any sermon. He just was. And is. What a gift!

— Andy Hagen, lead pastor, Advent Church, Boca Raton

Family is everything
When I left my country, the Philippines, to come to the United States for work, I knew that it would be difficult for me to go home on Christmas. That’s the nature of working in health care and as a priest.
Because of some immigration restrictions, I was only able to go home and visit my country three years after I landed to the United States.
Finally, I was able to return home in 2005 during the Christmas season. In early November, I got my green card, proof of a permanent U.S. resident status, meaning I could travel freely outside the U.S. Then, the excitement of seeing my country and my loved ones, the joy I felt as I picked some Christmas presents for my family and close friends, and the opportunity to celebrate Christmas with family and loved ones was the greatest Christmas present I ever got.
I don’t know when this opportunity will happen again in my life. I share the love of family with those who are around me on Christmas. I pray that my presence to those people who the Lord has entrusted to my care will bring joy to their lives and draw them closer to their loved ones as well, on Christmas and throughout the year.

— Father Dennis Gonzales, St. Vincent Ferrer Catholic Church, Delray Beach

 A POW’s compelling log
My grandfather, James Feerick, volunteered for the Army Air Corps (predecessor to the Air Force) and was a bombardier when he was shot down over Germany. He ended up in the same POW camp The Great Escape memorialized. My grandfather led choir practice to cover up the sound of hammering inside the barracks and would sing his favorite songs to encourage the men, even when he was punished for it. At POW reunions, many people said his singing kept their spirits alive and helped them survive.
In 2013, my parents gave my sisters and me a reproduced version of my grandfather’s wartime log that he kept as a POW. It is full of names and roles of other prisoners, sketches and journal entries. My parents added pictures and entries that testify to the full life he lived after the war. It is a gift that inspires us to live life to the full and never forget that acts of heroism can be as simple as a song.

— the Rev. Kevin McQuone, spiritual director and assistant professor of pastoral theology at St. Vincent De Paul Regional Seminary, Boynton Beach

A Hanukkah miracle
Most of my possessions were in storage because I was renovating a house. When it was time to move into our home, I discovered that the head of the moving company had disappeared. A few boxes were returned, and we were making do with what we had.
But all of my ritual objects were gone! The night before Hanukkah, I noticed a box that I’d had a television sitting on top for a few weeks. I moved the television and looked in the box. I found a hanukkiah (Hanukkah menorah) that was a family heirloom, a piece from the 17th century.
Finding it has become our family’s Hanukkah miracle!

— David Steinhardt, senior rabbi, B’nai Torah Congregation, Boca Raton

Menorah memories
Each Hanukkah at my house, we light a menorah that I purchased in Israel while competing as part of the World Maccabiah Games. It gives me an opportunity to think about my many beautiful memories exploring Israel while representing the USA and my Jewish heritage.

— Melissa Perlman, president, BlueIvy Communications

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

Reed Brand has become a digital star with no-frills videos on how to clean and fillet fish. Photos provided

By Jan Norris

Call him the Dexter of seafood.
Like the handy-with-a-blade star of the Showtime TV series, Reed Brand, aka Reed the Fishmonger, has thousands of people watching his knife skills as he goes about his work filleting fish.
One of the sons in the Captain Clay & Sons Seafood Market family, 29-year-old Brand has become an internet sensation of sorts, posting reels and videos on social media, showing how he slides his knife along the side of a fish with the precision of a surgeon.
On some, he’ll instruct, telling viewers about the type of fish, how deep it’s caught and its flavor, then explaining his cuts and method. On others, it’s simply showing the work table, the fish and his knife, and has only the sound of the cuts as he works.

In a YouTube video he uses a yellowtail snapper as an example of how to fillet a fish while leaving the skin on. 1 Make a single cut behind the gills through the fleshy part of the fish. 2 With the sharp side of the blade facing away from the body of the fish, make a shallow cut along the backbone. 3 Flip the sharp side of the blade toward the body to slice between the ribs and the meat of the fish in a single movement. 4 Use your thumb to pull the fillet open from the body and make a second slice to remove the fillet.

More than 130,000 people subscribe to his channels and videos on YouTube and Instagram, but he shines on TikTok with 245,000 viewers. Views for his posts combined exceed 12 million.
Brand posts on one or the other daily, recording the videos in the store around 5 a.m. when the fish come into the market fresh off the boats. He then uploads the reels later the same day.
“It blows my mind how many people want to watch fish cleaning,” he said. “I’m humbled and grateful, and excited to show off our brand new market.”
Captain Clay & Sons, currently on Northeast Fourth Street in Delray Beach, is moving to a larger store at 1319 N. Federal Highway, just north of George Bush Boulevard, scheduled to open in December.
A year and a half ago, Brand decided he wanted to post instructional videos and share recipes for the market’s products to promote the new place, so he asked a tech-savvy friend how to get started.
“He told me to go to TikTok. I never even heard of it.”
He started there and as he got more confident, branched out to the others. Now, TikTok is his most popular platform, pulling in a younger audience than most others.
Brand says he has viewers of every age, though most followers are of his generation — those who use social media as second nature.
“Think about it like how to change a tire. You and I know, but for the younger people, they pull out their phone and go to YouTube and search a video,” he said. “It may take them once or twice, but they’ll get it.”
It’s the same with cleaning fish — not many people buy whole fish, so breaking them down is foreign to them. “They go to YouTube and can watch how to clean a snapper.”
Although some do watch for the instruction, he admits others are there “for the ASMR. Do you know what that is?”
We didn’t. It stands for autonomous sensory meridian response, a buzzword in videos.
“It’s relaxing entertainment. People say the sound of the knife sliding along the fish is satisfying. It relaxes them,” Brand said. The viewer will watch over and over for ASMR’s tingling sensation.
Comments on the videos “like slicing through butter” and “sick!” encourage him to do more.
So, he sometimes merely shows the fish, then cuts it slowly, separating the flesh from the skin or bones and filleting or steaking out the fish with no sound except the knife.
He says all the fish shown is used: The scraps go into fish cakes or the store smokes it or makes fish stock to sell to restaurants.
Occasionally he’ll show recipes or other techniques — how to devein a shrimp easily, or the story on stone crab claws, coming to the market now.
The store has its own fishing boat, and Brand recently went out on it for recreation and caught his first swordfish — his favorite fish to fillet. Naturally, he took a video of the trip, and will post it, though he says catching fish is a lost cause on social media.
“There are literally millions of videos of people fishing and catching fish. It’s saturated with those. But there aren’t that many of people cutting and cleaning fish,” Brand said.
He gets plenty of feedback. The No. 1 comment, however, is a question: What kind of knife do you use?
He answers: Just a bunch of fillet knives. He’s had dozens of offers daily trying to get him to promote cutlery and other equipment or foods. But he says he has no interest in marketing affiliation or promotions that make some internet stars serious money.
“I just want to promote my family’s market,” he said. “Let people know what they can find in the store. It’s all locally caught, fresh fish, with every fish cut that day that it comes in.”

Find his videos on Instagram, YouTube and TikTok under Reed_thefishmonger.

Chuck Van Buskirk and Jim ’Chiefy’ Mathie show off their catch of lobsters following Hurricane Nicole. The lobsters were clustered in a coral reef in 35 feet of water just south of the Boca Inlet. Photo provided by Jim Mathie

By Steve Waters

Hurricane Nicole pounded our shore with intense waves and 24 hours of heavy rain and blustery winds. Intracoastal flooding made a mess of some roads and plenty of backyards. It also affected the lobster diving around the county’s coral reefs.
The rough seas created by Nicole’s winds resulted in silt-laden water off the region’s beaches, which prompted lobsters to move to deeper, cleaner water. After a storm, the crustaceans, which also are known as “bugs,” return to South Florida’s three coral reefs, where they gather in clusters as they look for new homes.
One of the coolest sights a lobster hunter will ever see is when the crustaceans walk in a line in the sand. No one knows the reason for a lobster walk, where dozens of bugs walk north in single file in 8 to 20 feet of water.
After Hurricane Ian, which made landfall on Florida’s Gulf Coast in late September, lobsters walked for two weeks, according to Jim “Chiefy” Mathie, a retired Deerfield Beach Fire-Rescue division chief.
The author of Catching the BUG: The Comprehensive Guide to Catching the Spiny Lobster, which is available at South Florida dive shops and at chiefy.net, Mathie waits for the waters around the Boca Raton Inlet to clear after a storm so he and his dive buddies can see the lobsters walking.
On his first trip a couple of days after Nicole’s passage through South Florida last month, Mathie said the visibility in shallow water was poor. So, he and his friends went to the third reef in 65 feet, where the visibility was better and they could see lobsters huddled together.
Five days after the storm, Mathie and his buddies found the bugs gathered together in the second reef in 35 feet just south of the Boca Inlet, and they quickly caught their daily limit of six lobsters apiece.
“One and done,” Mathie said of his and his crew’s needing only one dive to catch 24 lobsters. “We found them clustered with some big boys.”
It was the same story the following day. The lobsters were clustered together, but not walking.
Catching lobsters is easy when they are walking. When the bugs are shallow, snorkelers can swim from the beach and use a net or snare to capture their limit.
Mathie said that during the walk after Hurricane Ian, commercial lobster scuba divers whom he knows sat on the bottom in the sand and waited for the lobsters to walk to them. Those divers easily caught their commercial daily limit of 250 bugs.
Before heading in his boat to the reefs, Mathie looks for lobsters walking off the beach, usually by having one of his divers jump in the water with a mask, fins and snorkel. If the lobsters are there, his crew members will don their scuba gear, go to the bottom and pick out the six biggest bugs that they see.
“After Ian, we saw as many as 100 lobsters walking in a line,” Mathie said. “When we’d take one or two, the line would break up a little, and then there’d be like 20 walking in a line.”
The walk was so good, Mathie said, anglers on local fishing piers caught some lobsters — hooking them with their rods and reels, which is illegal.
As word of a lobster walk spreads, it brings out people who don’t dive, but like the idea of catching a delicious dinner. Anyone catching lobsters must have a saltwater fishing license, which costs $17 for Florida residents, and a $5 spiny lobster permit.
Snorkelers and divers who head out from the beach must have a floating dive flag so boaters can see them. They also must have a measuring device with them. Lobsters must have a minimum carapace length of more than 3 inches and must be measured in the water.
For all lobster regulations, visit https://myfwc.com/fishing/saltwater/recreational/lobster.

Editor’s note: Willie Howard has retired from The Coastal Star to focus on his charter business and his family. We welcome Steve Waters as an occasional columnist. Many of you may remember him from his days as the outdoors writer at the Sun Sentinel.

Steve Waters is a freelance outdoors and golf writer. Email steve33324@aol.com.

Erin McGrogan makes holiday cookies with her daughters, Emily and Ashlyn. Erin is the blogger Delray Mom, who ferrets out fun events for kids. Photo provided

By Janis Fontaine

For many, the coronavirus pandemic is a memory and the calendar is packed. If you’re planning your holidays, check the details, or find someone reliable to do it for you.
Consider Erin McGrogan, a Delray Beach mother of two, who keeps a calendar of family-friendly events updated year-round on her website, delraymom.com. McGrogan also owns Keene Designs, a graphic design company, and says she started her Delray Mom site five years ago because finding fun events for her daughters in one centralized location was a challenge.
“We wanted things to do as a family and we like to stay local,” McGrogan said.
Her daughters, Ashlyn, now 10, and Emily, 7, were so excited about all the events they wanted to put up decorations and play Christmas music right after Halloween.
So, what tops their list?
“We love going ice skating at the tree in Delray Beach,” McGrogan said.
Well, it isn’t really ice and you don’t wear ice skates, but McGrogan’s Florida-born-and-raised daughters don’t know any different. A twirl or two is all it takes and it’s on to tour the tree.
Delray Beach’s iconic 100-foot tree has been welcoming visitors since 1993. The tree lighting has become a symbol marking the start of the holidays, and a visit to the tree is a tradition for many families.
Adorned with 18,000 ornaments and boasting 217,980 individual LED lights, the tree is worth a trip even if you’ve seen it before. At the adjacent Holiday Village, activities for kids such as carousel rides and skating are offered through Dec. 31.
One tradition the McGrogan family missed during the pandemic was visiting Santa in Town Center Boca Raton. The mall has been a go-to for Santa visits since it opened in 1980.
“They have a really good Santa,” McGrogan said, “and I just read Neiman Marcus is having Breakfast with Santa.”
She’s correct.
Santa is on site daily until Christmas Eve. Reservations are recommended at whereissanta.com.
Neiman Marcus serves breakfast to Santa and his guests at 8:30 a.m. Dec. 10 at the mall store. Tickets are $50 for kids aged 3-12 and $60 for adults at www.eventbrite.com. Search “Neiman Marcus breakfast with Santa.”
The McGrogans do have one tradition that takes them out of the county: the Holiday Fantasy of Lights at Tradewinds Park on Sample Road in Coconut Creek. The drive-thru adventure boasts “3 miles of giant, animated holiday lights and illuminated trees.”
The park is only 10 miles from downtown Boca Raton. Pack some hot chocolate and Christmas cookies. The display is open from 6-10 nightly through Jan. 1.
Tickets are $24 per car. For more information, visit https://holidaylightsdrivethru.com.
The light display is a stay-in-your-car event, and for some people who still don’t like big gatherings among strangers, that’s a good thing. The reality is, many of us have a new mentality when it comes to celebrating in large groups.
That’s one reason Mizner Park organizers again decided to spread the joy over several weeks. Instead of one big night of entertainment, the city hosts four mini-celebrations called “Merry in Mizner,” a free event from 6-9 p.m. Fridays through Dec. 23.
New lighting displays and decorations — more than 50,000 LED lights and other embellishments — have created a stunning holiday milieu.
“The goal was to capture an enchanted, wintry forest feeling,” said Amy DiNorscio, the amphitheater and community events manager at the city of Boca Raton.
And since icicles and ice crystals — which along with snow are nature’s contribution to the perfect Northern Christmas tableau — don’t form naturally in Florida, the decorators found a way to replicate the effect. Guests can meander under the glow of twinkling lights and enjoy different strolling entertainers performing each week.
DiNorscio says that spreading the holiday celebration over several nights lets more people visit.
“There’s been lots of anticipation around all of the events. The parade response has been wonderful,” DiNorscio said.
Nearly 70 floats will make their way down Federal Highway on Dec. 7 in Boca Raton.
For people who prefer their parades with a water backdrop, the city’s 48th annual Holiday Boat Parade takes place at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 17.
It lights up the Intracoastal Waterway beginning at the C-15 canal at the Boca Raton/Delray Beach line and travels south to the Hillsboro Boulevard Bridge in northern Broward County. Public viewing areas include Red Reef Park, Wildflower Park and Silver Palm Park in Boca Raton.
South County’s other annual boat parade starts 6:30 p.m. Dec. 9 from near the Boynton Harbor Marina and goes to the C-15 canal.

Janis Fontaine writes about tots and teens. Contact her at fontaine423@outlook.com

If You Go
The 100-Foot Christmas Tree and Holiday Village, Delray Beach
When: Through Dec. 31. Hours are:
• 5-9 p.m. Monday-Friday and 1-9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday through Dec. 21.
• 1-9 p.m. Dec. 22-23 and Dec. 26-31.
• 5-9 p.m. Dec. 24-25.
Where: Old School Square, 51 N. Swinton Ave.
Cost: Carousel rides are $4 except Dec. 24-25 when rides are free. Ice skating is $4. A ride-all-day wristband is $12. Walk-thru tours of the tree are free.
Info: www.delraybeachfl.gov/our-city/things-to-do/100-ft-christmas-tree

Merry in Mizner
When: 6-9 p.m. Dec. 2, 9, 16 and 23.
Where: Mizner Park, Plaza Real, Boca Raton.
Cost: Free.
Info: www.myboca.us/2074/Merry-in-Mizner

The holidays can be a trying time for pets. Be on the lookout for changes in behavior or eating habits that may be signs of stress. Photo provided

By Arden Moore

Face it, our dogs and cats are definitely creatures of habit. You may swear they sport invisible watches as they try to herd you into the kitchen about five minutes before their meal time. You may notice that your cat naps on the cat tree in the morning and heads for a snooze session on the sofa in the afternoon. Or, your dog has an uncanny way of knowing when you are heading to work or about to take him on a walk based on which shoes you put on.
As the holiday season shifts into high gear, routines get disrupted and that can affect your pet’s attitude, appetite and behavior. Emerging from the pandemic, many of us look forward to hosting or attending social gatherings. And, many of us finally feel safe to travel and may opt to have our pets cared for by a professional pet sitter or boarded at a reputable pet boarding facility.
More changes. New sights, sounds and smells. So, to help you — and your pets — keep the holidays from transforming into the yowl-i-days, I gift you a holiday survival guide.
Be on the lookout for signs of holiday stress in your pets. Among the signs are:
• Loss of appetite.
• Lip licking and/or yawning.
• Hiding, cowering or ignoring your “come” calls.
• Urinating or defecating outside the litter box and in the house after years of displaying stellar potty habits.
• Becoming destructive by shredding the toilet paper or chewing on sofa pillows or the stack of mail you left on the coffee table.
• Transforming into a clingy pet who shadows your every step in the house.
Even though you know and welcome relatives and friends, recognize that your pets may not and could react with loud barks or dashes under the bed when guests enter through the front door. Consider keeping your pet in a closed, cozy room like a bedroom with some favorite toys, bedding and water before house guests arrive. Once the guests settle in, let your pets meet them when they are in a calmer state of mind.
And, a week or two before overnight guests arrive, relocate your cat’s litter box from the spare bedroom to a quiet, safe area to give your cat time to adjust.
There is a long list of no-no holiday foods for pets. No one wants to spend the holidays at the veterinary emergency hospital with a pet who ate something poisonous or dangerous, like a turkey bone, or incurred painful pancreatitis from eating greasy, highly seasoned foods.
Big no-nos: gravy and meat drippings, turkey skin and bones, pumpkin pie, chocolate, nuts, alcoholic drinks, onions, stuffing, and any holiday foods containing the artificial sweetener xylitol (also goes by the name of birch sugar).
Safe holiday foods for pets: cooked turkey meat rinsed of any seasoning, plain mashed potatoes (minus butter or salt), unseasoned cooked green beans, dried cranberries, and unseasoned cooked pumpkin and sweet potatoes.

Sitters and boarding
I reached out to a pair of local professionals for advice on these and other topics. Both agree that you need to book sooner rather than later, as this time of year gets very busy.
Denise Purificato has owned A Best Friend Pet Sitting Inc. for 15 years. Her professional pet sitting squad provides dog walks, pet visits and more in Boca Raton and Delray Beach.
“There are so many ways we need to keep our pets healthy and safe when decorating over the holidays,” she says. “My top tips for pet parents this holiday season are to be aware of the popular holiday plants like poinsettias, holly and mistletoe that are all dangerous to pets if accidentally ingested.”
Her second tip: “Giving your pets a sense of their normal routine is really important during the holidays with so much activity going on. To reduce stress in your pet, try to keep their meal times consistent and do not skip a meal or feed them late.”
To keep the holidays jolly for you and your pet, she suggests that you take your dogs for daily walks; provide your pet with a new, pet-safe holiday toy, and book one-on-one play sessions to fend off stress in you both. Learn more at www.abestfriendpetsitting.com.
Katie Glazier is the director of operations at Dog Unleashed in Boynton Beach. This facility offers dog day care, boarding and grooming and features Boynton Beach’s first spacious indoor dog park.
She and her staff ensure dogs in day care or boarding feel safe and happy.
“All dogs undergo temperament tests and we offer several types of play groups,” says Glazier. “Our pups are never left unattended and are consistently getting body checks by our staff throughout the day to ensure they have no injuries or marks from rough play.”
To help canine guests celebrate Christmas, the Dog Unleashed staff serves up a special dinner that includes homemade turkey, sweet potatoes, green beans and pumpkin — all unseasoned. Of course, any dietary restrictions are factored in.
“Another fun tradition we have is to have our professional photographer come before Christmas to get pictures of our doggy guests with Santa,” Glazier adds.
Learn more at https://dogunleashed.pet.

Best gift of all
What’s the best gift to give your pet this holiday season? Quality time spent with you. Step away from the holiday bustle for even five uninterrupted minutes a day to cuddle or play together.
From my furry crew of dogs Kona and Emma plus cats Casey, Mikey, Rusty and Baxter, I wish you and your pets a pawsome, safe holiday season!

Arden Moore is an author, professional speaker and master certified pet first-aid instructor. She hosts a weekly syndicated radio show, “Arden Moore’s Four Legged Life” (www.fourleggedlife.com), and the “Oh Behave!” podcast on Pet Life Radio. To learn more, visit www.ardenmoore.com.

You can enjoy the stunning sunset views across the lagoon, nature preserve and the Intracoastal Waterway while sitting on your outdoor terrace. Photos provided

Located between the beach and the Intracoastal in quiet Ocean Park Manor in Ocean Ridge, this completely updated 2-bedroom, 2-bath condo has custom cabinetry, travertine and tile floors, a washer/dryer and carport.
The corner first-floor residence has East exposure and plenty of light through its full impact glass windows and doors along with the breathtaking direct waterfront views.
It is situated directly across from the beach and is the perfect location for privacy and barrier island living. The complex is pet friendly with some restrictions. Furnishings are negotiable.
Offered at $799,000. Valerie Coz, Douglas Elliman Real Estate, 900 East Atlantic Avenue, Suite #1, Delray Beach; 561-386-8011, valeriecoz@gmail.com

The master bedroom suite is 14-by-14 with ample closets and en suite bath.

A well-appointed living room overlooks a terrace with the water beyond.

Custom cabinetry, stainless steel appliances and marble countertops are features of the open kitchen.

Located on Ocean Boulevard in Ocean Ridge, the unit has a view across to mangroves in the Intracoastal Waterway.

Each month, The Coastal Star features a house for sale in our community. The House of the Month is presented as a service to our advertisers and provides readers with a peek inside one of our homes.

By Joel Engelhardt

Ron DeSantis reached a plateau Tuesday that no Republican candidate for governor in Palm Beach County had reached in 36 years: He tallied more votes than the Democrat.

And on his coattails rode Peggy Gossett-Seidman to victory over Andy Thomson for a Boca Raton-centered state House seat, and Marci Woodward, a political novice, over Palm Beach County Mayor Robert Weinroth for a County Commission seat.

“Money didn’t matter and it didn’t matter how much you spent,” said campaign consultant Rick Asnani, who worked on both the Thomson and Weinroth campaigns. “Endorsements didn’t matter. Any type of discussion around experience didn’t matter. This was all driven around one very simple thing, did you have an ‘R’ next to your name?”

And much of that was due to the man at the top of the ticket, said Sid Dinerstein, a former chairman of the Palm Beach County Republican Party.

“The No. 1 reason was Ron DeSantis,” he said. “We never had an election, either party, where they won the state by 1.5 million votes. You have to start with the uniqueness of this political figure.”

Thomson, who had to agree to resign his seat on the Boca Raton City Council to run, faced a deluge of TV attack ads paid for by the Florida House Republican Campaign Committee to pound home the message that he raised taxes and was soft on immigration and crime.

It was all about linking Thomson to the national issues confronting Democrats, Asnani said.

“They treated him the way they would any other Democrat,” he said. “They tied him to Joe Biden. He’s a liberal. He’s a Democrat. The other person is not and they won.”

Thomson ran attack ads as well, Gossett-Seidman said, a point Thomson disputed.

While acknowledging the importance of the DeSantis effect, Gossett-Seidman said voters were driven by concerns about the economy, a refrain she heard as she walked the district, which includes Highland Beach, Boca Raton and much of west Boca.

“Everywhere we went, everyone is worried about the economy, prices, jobs,” said Gossett-Seidman, who has served four years on the Highland Beach Town Commission. “It was totally overwhelming. They want a normalcy to return, in terms of the economy, having freedoms: The free and open Florida.”

But the key to her 52%-to-48% victory was the enthusiasm for DeSantis that drew Republicans to the polls and the apathy that kept Democrats away, Thomson said, adding that he pulled more votes in his district than Charlie Crist, who lost to DeSantis 60% to 40% statewide.

Unprecedented Republican dominance

Almost all of the Republican candidates at the top of the ticket scored wins in Palm Beach County, a virtually unprecedented result, thwarted only by Marco Rubio falling just short of Val Demings, with 49.34% of the vote to her 49.69%.

The only time since 1978 that a Republican for governor scored higher than the Democrat in Palm Beach County came in 1986, when Bob Martinez attained 53.8% of the vote to Steve Pajcic’s 46.2%.

Three times in the 1980s Palm Beach County went Republican for president – twice for Ronald Reagan and once for George Bush – but that never happened again.

On Tuesday, DeSantis won the county with 51.2% of the vote to 48.3% for Crist.

Democrats still have a decided registration advantage in Palm Beach County over Republicans: 40% to 29%.

“Democrats had no enthusiasm and stayed home,” Asnani said. “If you didn’t have a seat that had at least a 10- to 14-point [partisan] advantage, you had no chance to win.”

For example, Democrat Lois Frankel held on to her South County congressional seat, 55% to 45%, over Dan Franzese. Two years earlier, in a similarly Democratic-leaning district, she won 59% to 39%.

Other local races

Democratic state Rep. Joe Casello, running in a solid Democratic House district that includes Delray Beach and Boynton Beach, held off challenger Keith Feit, 55% to 45%. State Sen. Bobby Powell, a Democrat in a district that includes the barrier islands north of the Boynton Inlet, won 55.7% of the vote in defeating Eric Ankner.

Likewise, Democratic state Sen. Lori Berman got 55% of the vote in defeating Republican Steve Byers in District 26, which runs along the coast from Glades Road to the Boynton Inlet.

But Democratic state Sen. Tina Polsky lost Palm Beach County, 52.6% to 47.4%, only winning reelection on the strength of her showing in Broward County, which she carried with 59% of the vote.

Republican Mike Caruso won his new House district, which starts north of the Boynton Inlet and runs up to Palm Beach Gardens, defeating Sienna Osta 59% to 41%.

New county commissioners

But for Weinroth, a former Boca Raton City Council member, and Michelle McGovern, a one-time aide to former Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, the governor’s coattails proved too much even though their County Commission opponents had no big money infusion for TV ads.

Taking over for Weinroth in a South County district that includes all the barrier islands south of South Palm Beach will be Marci Woodward, who had never run for office before. She won 52% to 48%.

Republican Sara Baxter defeated McGovern by a similar margin in the West County district held for eight years by Democrat Melissa McKinlay, who was term-limited from running again.

Incumbent Gregg Weiss, a Democrat, won reelection with 56% of the vote, giving Democrats a reduced 4-3 majority on the new commission.

While Woodward didn’t respond to a request for an interview, her website describes several key moments in her life, particularly her difficult efforts to conceive after marrying Michael, her high school sweetheart. They graduated in the 1990s from the University of South Carolina – Aiken before moving to South Florida in 2004.

It was here that fertility treatments left her facing years of medical issues, now resolved, she wrote.

With the COVID epidemic in 2020, she wrote, she became aware of the power of the County Commission. She wondered how business could survive the closures and limitations.

“But then came the real question: Who was making these rules?” she wrote. “Who were these new Task Force Officers and to whom did they report? And why, did it seem, the rules that were made ‘for our well-being’ were not being adhered to by those who we elected to represent us?

“They made the rules, but WE suffered.”

When she felt like the county didn’t respond to her questions and she learned Weinroth was running unopposed, she entered the race, raising $48,700, including $16,000 from the county Republican Party and $8,000 of her own money.

Weinroth, who raised $417,000, cited his accomplishments after four years on the commission and four years on the Boca council, but said there was no way to get that across to voters intent on party support.

“They looked at the ‘R’ and the ‘D’ and decided to vote ‘R,’” he said, pointing out that he got 6,000 fewer votes in this election than his previous one, “which means to me the Democrats stayed home.”

As for the two newcomers to the County Commission, he pointed out that it’s not just a one-issue job.

“It’s not just a pandemic or voter integrity. It’s a job with multiple issues thrown at you,” he said. “I hope they take a breath and learn how our county runs because they are on the board of directors now for all of Palm Beach County.”

Max Chiorean, of Boynton Beach, walked across the exposed rocks on Gulf Stream Beach with his surfboard on Nov. 10. Rachel S. O’Hara/The Coastal Star

By Larry Barszewski and Joe Capozzi and staff reports

A rare November hurricane combined with king tides to create coastal flooding problems throughout southern Palm Beach County Nov. 10, but officials reported mostly only limited storm damage.

Even Delray Beach’s 100-foot Christmas tree, already erected for the holiday season, came through unscathed by Hurricane Nicole, officials said. The Category 1 storm made landfall around 3 a.m. just south of Vero Beach on North Hutchinson Island, some 100 miles to the north of Delray Beach.

Some of South County's most serious situations were reported in Ocean Ridge and Briny Breezes.

“Hudson Avenue, Ocean Avenue, Coconut [Lane], Inlet Cay [Drive], Island Drive — all of those areas were at some point between 9 p.m. and midnight under water to the point that they were impassable by police vehicles," Ocean Ridge Police Chief Richard Jones said. “We were using maintenance trucks to access areas to check on people, and at one point, Coconut and Hudson became impassable even with the maintenance trucks.”

While Jones said Ocean Ridge homes had no interior flooding damage, Briny Breezes was not as lucky.

“There were homes down there that were entirely flooded,’’ said Jones, whose police department provides public safety services for Briny Breezes. Exacerbating the flood problems was a malfunctioning transformer that cut off power to 255 homes on the west side of town north of the marina. That also meant water pumps, which the town usually relies on, were not working.

“But even if the pumps had worked,” Jones said, “I mean, water was overtopping the seawalls. There is literally no way it would have mattered."

Joanne Long is greeted by friend Carol Swallow as Tobin Cultrera removes her clam shutters upon her return to Briny Breezes following her evacuation from Hurricane Nicole. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

Many Briny Breezes residents had heeded Palm Beach County’s mandatory evacuation order for mobile homes and were returning Thursday to the flooded streets.

Greg “Doc” Trudell chose to ride out the storm in his double-wide mobile home on the west side of town. He was one of the lucky residents who did not lose electricity and he said water never breached the top steps to his home.

“It wasn't too bad at all to be honest," he said. “The worst it got was maybe 50 miles per hour. I sat on my porch and watched it."

 Beach sand washes away, again

Along the coastline In southern Palm Beach County, Nicole left behind washed out beach stairways, a tilted lifeguard stand and minor flooding damage. Nicole’s strongest winds in the county were recorded at the Juno Pier, with a gust of 62 mph. Wind gusts reached 54 mph in Boca Raton and 44 mph in Boynton Beach, the National Weather Service reported.

Still to be determined: The extent of beach erosion Nicole caused with its storm surge, stiff winds and crashing waves. Portions of eroded beach were visible at South Inlet, South Beach and Spanish River parks in Boca Raton. In Highland Beach, an “aggressive ocean” swallowed sand along its 3 miles of oceanfront, Town Manager Marshall Labadie said.

Nicole is only the fourth recorded hurricane to strike the United States after October. The official hurricane season ends Nov. 30.

Dr. Bill Benda, a County Pocket resident, was down on the beach Thursday afternoon, surveying the erosion damage. The weather was beautiful but the Atlantic surf still churned with 10- to 12-foot breakers, he said.

“We had a ton of erosion. We lost a lot of our dunes,” he said. “The beach is about eight feet shorter than it was before the storm.”

Chris Fisher, National Weather Service meteorologist in Miami, said that local officials are still determining the extent of beach erosion up and down Florida’s east coast.

“We know there was some beach erosion,” he said. “As far as the extent of it, I don't think local officials have made their final determination.”

A lifeguard stand on Delray Beach settles on a tilt caused by erosion to the dune on Nov. 10.
The city's well planted dune helped keep the ocean from going over the dune and onto A1A. Photo provided by Kari Shipley

On Delray Beach’s public beach, a lifeguard stand was tilted due to erosion. The tower was fine on Nov. 9, said Chris Heffernan, a resident and a daily beach walker. On Nov. 10, he photographed the tower surrounded by caution tape, its shutters closed and nearly a 2-foot drop on the tower's ocean side.

City Manager Terrence Moore said the tower sitting on the edge of the dune needs to be moved to a less dangerous position on the beach. The move will take place in the next few days, he said. No lifeguard is using that tower.

Ocean Ridge’s water problems

When it came to rain, Ocean Ridge received the most in the county from Hurricane Nicole, according to the weather service. Nicole dumped 4.87 inches over a two-day period on the island community, which has historically battled drainage issues. One monitoring station in Boca Raton measured 4.17 inches, while Delray Beach got deluged by 3.89 inches at another.

The rain and storm surge came on top of king tides that were induced by the waning full moon. The exceptionally high tides occur around a full moon at times of the year when the moon is at its closest to earth. The full moon was Nov. 8.

Ocean Avenue from Ocean Ridge to Boynton Beach continued to have flooding problems both east and west of the bridge Thursday morning. Patches of the flooding in town were receding and all roads were passable, Ocean Ridge Mayor Susan Hurlburt said later in the morning.

Jones said he is drafting an “after-action” report to the Town Commission “showing what we experienced with a 2-foot storm surge."

He said he and Public Works Director Billy Armstrong will recommend the town invest in equipment such as a high-water rescue vehicle or a large tractor to be better prepared in case Ocean Ridge ever takes a direct hit from a hurricane.

“If this would have been a storm of any significance beyond what this was and people did not evacuate, there would have been absolutely no way we could have gotten to some of these people’s houses," Jones said. “We are going to have to do something. In all the years I've worked here and the years Billy has worked here, neither one of us has ever seen this level of flooding."

Flooded streets, parking lots and parks

In Delray Beach, low-lying roads along the Intracoastal Waterway flooded during king tides Wednesday even before the storm arrived, Moore said.

“I have never seen (the water) this high,” said Claudia Willis who has lived in Delray Beach’s Marina neighborhood on the west side of the Intracoastal since the 1980s. On Thursday, just after the 11 a.m. high tide, she was standing in at least a foot of water at the city’s marina, near the new sea wall.

Delray city workers placed a gate to close a gap in the Veterans Park sea wall along the Intracoastal on Wednesday, Moore said. The opening had allowed water from the Intracoastal Waterway raised by king tides to flood the park.

Communities up and down the coast reported flooding issues on State Road A1A and other roadways.

“We had the usual isolated flooding and experienced no damage to town-owned facilities, with the exception of the beach,” Lantana Public Services Director Eddie Crockett said. Crockett said there was no beach access Thursday morning, since stairs were destroyed, as was the ramp to the lifeguard stand.

Crockett reported extensive flooding on North Atlantic Avenue and Beach Curve Road on Hypoluxo Island during the height of the storm, but the roads had reopened Thursday morning.

On Lantana’s Ocean Avenue, traffic at times was down to one lane because of flooding. At Bicentennial Park and Sportsman’s Park, the sea walls were breached and the parking lots were flooded.

The entrance to the Eau Palm Beach garage and Lantana city parking lot remained flooded on Nov. 10. Photo provided by Bonnie Fischer

The intersection of Ocean Avenue and A1A – in front of the Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa and the Publix plaza – remained flooded and unpassable Thursday morning, said South Palm Beach Mayor Bonnie Fischer, who lives to the north.

“I thought I could walk to Publix but it’s a lake. You can’t get through it,’’ she said late Thursday morning.

Parking lot of the Old Key Lime House is under water in advance of Hurricane Nicole in Lantana. Photo provided by Lisa English

Some restaurants mop up to open up

At the Old Key Lime House on Ocean Avenue in Lantana, the hurricane party got a bit soggy before it’s hurricane-induced 7 p.m. last call on Wednesday, with ankle-deep flooding on the restaurant’s outside deck and bar.

“It never got in the restaurant dining room. It’s a foot higher than the deck and bar area,” owner Ryan Cordero said. “Clean up was minimal.”

The parking lot flooded up to the foundation of the restaurant, but before the biggest surge, staff had moved the outside furniture indoors.

Cordero’s neighbors at Sushi Bon Express were busy Thursday morning cleaning up the water that came into their main space in order to open soon. “Flood water came into the dining room. No time to talk,” a staffer said. “We have to mop up now.”

Both Two George’s and Prime Catch in Boynton Beach reported no flooding or damage, but Kylie Mulhall at the Banana Boat said their parking lot flooded. “It didn’t come into the restaurant, though.”

Over at Hurricane Alley, the ritual hurricane party was going full blast Wednesday.

Staff member Phil Saurman said, “We were open till 6 p.m. at the bar. The kitchen closed at 4. We were full and rocking.” They saw no damage from water or wind.

At the Dune Deck in Lantana directly on the beach, one of the owners, Daisy Palais said “lots of sand” was their biggest issue. It was blown into the outside dining room and patio. and had to be swept before they opened Thursday.

As for the sand on the beach and potential erosion, she said it was too early to tell if there would be much of a beach once the seas calmed.

“We can’t tell. The waves are still pounding our seawall. It’s magnificent. We’re seeing a beautiful show from Mother Nature.”

To the north, on the Lake Worth Beach Pier, Benny’s on the Beach had “a lot of damage,” according to chef-owner Jeremy Hanlon. 

Surfers, onlookers and sun seekers enjoy the cool weather and mostly sunny day in Delray Beach on Thursday. Hurricane Nicole passed by Palm Beach County overnight. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

Hurricane’s ferocity pretty tame in South County

In South Palm Beach, tides and waves continued to crash against the seawalls of town condominiums without breaching the walls Thursday morning, and the stretch of A1A through town was passable and free of water, said Sgt. Mark Garrison of the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office.

Fischer, the mayor, had a front-row view of the storm’s aftermath from her oceanfront condo just north of Lantana Beach Park.

“The (sea) spray went so high it went to my sliding glass door. One came over and hit the door," she said. “We got lucky for sure."

Manalapan Town Manager Linda Stumpf said the town experienced flooding overnight on A1A during the king tides and expected similar flooding again during the next high tide, but said there were no other storm-related issues in town and no damage to town property.

Down in Highland Beach, the king tides and storm transformed condo parking lots and side streets into ankle-deep lakes and streams. In all, town leaders report, there was little damage and any flood waters that made driving treacherous Wednesday had evaporated from the rain-soaked roads by early Thursday morning.

“There was nothing atypical to a tropical storm or Category 1 hurricane,” Labadie said.

East of A1A, Nicole-propelled rough seas returned stretches of beach sand to the ocean where they formed sandbars 50 to 100 feet offshore. A few chaise lounges and some stairwells coming down from the dune appeared to be the only casualties.

Mary Thurwachter, John Pacenti, Jane Smith, Rich Pollack and Jan Norris contributed to this report.

Hurricane Nicole passed by Palm Beach County Wednesday evening and along with extreme high tides, resulted in extensive beach erosion at South Beach Park in Boca Raton. Photo by Tim Stepien

Sally Long and her mother-in-law Joanne Long evacuate their residences in Briny Breezes Nov. 9 before the arrival of Tropical Storm Nicole. The family left the park after mandatory evacuation orders were issued the previous afternoon. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

Related: Tropical Storm Nicole, Nov. 9: Photos

By Joe Capozzi

As Tropical Storm Nicole continued making its path westward toward the Florida coast this week, residents in Briny Breezes weren’t waiting around for it to achieve hurricane status.

Most of the 600 residents of Briny Breezes evacuated their coastal mobile home community ahead of the storm, officials said. And those who waited until Wednesday, Nov. 9, to leave were forced to deal with severe flooding. 

The few holdouts who have decided to stay got another challenge when a transformer malfunctioned, leaving 255 mobile homes on the west side of town without power until either late Thursday or early Friday, Mayor Gene Adams said. 

“My hope is the power being out pushes people to leave,’’ said Adams, who was among the Briny residents who chose to leave town until the worst of the storm passes.

Palm Beach County officials had ordered evacuations of mobile homes and the barrier island ahead of Nicole’s approach. The storm was packing 70 mph winds as of the 4 p.m. Wednesday advisory from the National Hurricane Center.

Water rises to porch level of a home along the marina in Briny Breezes during high tide on Nov. 9, but the lights stay on. Photo provided by Joanna Malin

Wednesday’s king tide flooding, combined with rain squalls from Nicole’s outer bands, left up to 3 feet of water in many places across the west side of town by 10 a.m. That water receded a few hours later, with help from pumps. 

But more water was expected to flush back into town by Wednesday night, thanks to the one-two punch of a full moon and the intensifying winds, rains and storm surge of Nicole, which is expected to be a hurricane when it hits Florida overnight – likely to the north of Palm Beach County. 

“We had a lot of flooding this morning. It was bad, no question about it,’’ Adams said Wednesday afternoon.  

“The worst of the flooding is probably going to be later tonight. The push from the storm is the problem more than the high tide. The high tide itself is not enormous but the storm surge, all of that push coming through the [Boynton] Inlet, is the challenge. Once it breaches the walls on the west side, that's when we get in trouble.’’ 

Even though hurricane season officially ends Nov. 30, most Briny residents started arriving back in town during the first week in November. They took down their hurricane shutters and prepared for a relaxing winter.

But when Nicole’s wide winds took aim at Palm Beach County earlier this week, residents scrambled to put the shutters back up and make evacuation plans. 

“I couldn’t believe it. It was so late in the season. We had just gotten down the Saturday before from South Carolina. We’d just opened the shutters and then two days ago (the forecast path) made a tick south, and I put the furniture back in and closed the shutters again,’’ said Sally Long.

For most residents, the reaction was the same when they flipped on The Weather Channel this week: A hurricane in November? 

“It's almost like winter up north. Sometimes it just doesn't want to let go,’’ Bill Birch, a Briny Breezes councilman, said. 

Long and at least five other town residents evacuated Wednesday and are staying with a friend in Boca Raton. Although the storm is not expected to exceed category 1, she knows they made the correct decision.

“I watched Hurricane Ian intently – and the destruction and the change in paths and all the dangers that were inherent with that hurricane – and decided, you know, we are on a barrier island in a mobile community and we need to be safe,’’ she said.

“It was a blessing for all of us who watched [Hurricane Ian] to know what the devastation could be and to really take the storm seriously,’’ Long said. “You can take the little bit of worry of taking the patio furniture in and shuttering up or you can live through the devastation and have a lot of stuff to clean up.’’ 

A few streets down, Chuck Foland, 90, had just arrived back in town from a summer in Ohio less than a week ago, only to be forced out to a nearby hotel by the rare November storm. 

“My brother opened this all up for him last weekend. Then came the hurricane,’’ Foland’s son, Craig, said. “I was like, ‘Give me a break.’’’

But Craig Foland, a South Florida resident for 15 years, knows not to take any chances when hurricanes threaten. “You can’t mess with it,’’ he said as he closed a clamshell shutter on the mobile home. 

Nicole “isn’t going to be an Ian or an Andrew,’’ he said, “but what I’m worried about is his age and I don’t know how bad these streets are going to flood.’’ 

Kayaker Rylee Collin, 15, checks out the mobile homes on the west side of Briny Breezes during high tide. Joe Capozzi/The Coastal Star

As king tides were already flooding the town’s streets in the morning with 2 to 3 feet of water. Rylee Collin, 15, got out her kayak and paddled through the town’s streets. 

By 1:30 p.m., the water started to recede, but residents knew it was likely a temporary reprieve.

“It’s the price you pay for living in Briny,’’ said Travis Collin, Rylee’s dad.

The storm’s timing will resonate with Briny residents. On Nov. 15, the town council will host a community meeting to discuss a multimillion dollar resiliency plan for infrastructure improvements aimed at helping Briny Breezes cope with sea level rise. 

SOURCE: Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections (unofficial results)

SOURCE: Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections (unofficial results)

SOURCE: Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections (unofficial results)

SOURCES: (top) Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections, (bottom) Broward County Supervisor of Elections 63 of 64 precincts reporting (unofficial results)

SOURCE: Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections (unofficial results)

SOURCE: Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections (unofficial results)

SOURCE; Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections (unofficial results)

SOURCE: Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections (unofficial results)

Residents blown away by new bills fear Ian will only multiply toll

By Charles Elmore

Early estimates predict Hurricane Ian will become Florida’s costliest storm ever, but even before it made landfall eye-popping jumps in insurance costs were already arriving in mailboxes and phone apps all over southeastern Palm Beach County.
“After Ian, who knows?” Delray Beach insurance agent Dean Laible said about how high premiums could climb.
A $4,900 annual premium turned into $16,000 overnight for Jerilyn Walter, owner-broker of Posh Properties with offices in Ocean Ridge, Delray Beach and Lantana. She had become accustomed to helping clients stay apprised of insurance issues, only to face a startling increase in August on her own Delray Beach home with a new roof west of Interstate 95.
“I knew it was going to go up a little bit,” she said, in part because the home’s market value had increased significantly. “But triple to over $16K? With no claims? It was shocking.”
She shopped for a better insurance deal but could not find one. She said she has put the house up for sale a year after buying it.
Cash buyers and the super-wealthy may be in a better position to weather the turbulence, but just about everyone else is having to factor in a new reality.
A recent deal to buy a coastal Delray Beach home to be insured for more than $1 million fell through when the insurance premium came in at $22,000, said John G. Backer, one of the owners of the Gracey-Backer Inc. insurance agency in Delray Beach. The buyer purchased a home farther west where insurance was cheaper.
“The Florida insurance marketplace is the worst in the country, and this might be the worst it’s ever been,” Backer said. “And with Ian, it might only get worse.”
A Briny Breezes resident told one agent she would drop hurricane coverage because it simply costs too much. 
Similar stories are coming in at Absolute Insurance of Palm Beach County Inc., where Laible is president.
“A lot of people without a mortgage are self-insuring for a hurricane,” he said, a practice where people set aside their own money to pay for possible losses rather than purchase an insurance policy. “Prior to Ian, people were concerned rates were going to jump 20 to 30 percent again. After Ian, who knows?”
Similar tension roils the market for insuring boats.
Before Ian hit Florida in late September, it was not uncommon to find multiple national name-brand insurers willing to cover craft up to 30 feet, Laible said.
Bigger vessels were likely to have to rely on a “surplus lines” specialty insurer, such as Lloyd’s of London, he said.
Now, all are waiting to see how the market reacts. Already, in some cases a craft that cost $5,000 a year to insure in the recent past is drawing quotes around $15,000, he said.
If people self-insure for wind insurance on their homes, they still could choose to cover other perils such as fire. An important question especially after Ian is whether to take a flood policy, which is usually sold separately from standard home policies. It covers water coming from the ground up, as opposed to, say, rain coming through a hole in the roof.

Crisis facing homeowners
Storm surge and flooding spearheaded much of Ian’s more than $67 billion in estimated damage. Early analysis shows the overwhelming rush of waters also played a big role in bringing about the most deaths from a storm to strike Florida since 1935 — at least 114 in the state.
Yet, for those not forced to carry policies by their mortgage holders, even the purchase of flood coverage has been declining over the last decade amid rising costs and other factors, a Coastal Star analysis found in 2020.
Boynton Beach, Briny Breezes, Delray Beach, Highland Beach and Ocean Ridge all had fewer policies in 2019 compared to 2012 for coverage issued by the National Flood Insurance Program, the provider of more than 95% of flood insurance in the county. In Briny Breezes, the number of NFIP policies fell by more than 40%.
The most concentrated harm from Ian came along Florida’s southwest coast, though its reach extended wider. A tornado spawned by the hurricane caused property damage in Delray Beach, for example, and another possible twister downed a tree at Gulf Stream Town Hall and blew tiles off its roof.
Going without hurricane coverage is an option open only to those who own their properties without a mortgage. It might make sense for people wealthy enough to rebuild out of their own pocket. It is a riskier gamble for those who have most of their assets tied up in their most valuable asset, their home, and now struggle to find income to keep up with the premiums.
Lack of coverage also has implications for the region’s economy and ability to recover from a future catastrophe if fewer people can afford to rebuild.
Florida’s home insurance premiums are rising an average of more than 30% a year, according to the industry-funded Insurance Information Institute. The state’s average bill hit $4,231 over the summer, nearly three times the U.S. average of $1,544.
That Florida average price tag can easily run double, triple — or more — near the coast in a place like southeastern Palm Beach County.

Fewer choices for residents
Inflation and rising home values are keeping more people out of the state’s insurer of last resort, Citizens Property Insurance Corp., which does not cover properties worth more than $700,000. 
Regulators have been considering raising that limit in markets such as Palm Beach County where options for private insurance have become extremely limited, published reports show. The cap is currently $1 million in Miami-Dade and Monroe counties.
Samantha Bequer, communications director for the state’s Office of Insurance Regulation, said her office “is still in the process of reviewing all applicable data before issuing a determination on raising the eligibility cap.”
Meanwhile, a dwindling roster of Florida-based companies is writing new policies in South Florida, agents say. 
Boca Raton-based Florida Peninsula Insurance Co., which insures about 180,000 homes, condos and apartments around the state, and subsidiary Edison Insurance declined comment on their outlook for expanding, contracting or keeping their customer count about the same.
The companies are “fully focused on assisting our policyholders that were impacted by Hurricane Ian,” said chief legal officer Stacey Giulianti. “This is our obligation to them. Right now, we cannot comment on underwriting until every one of our insureds receives the help they need to make repairs or rebuild.”
In some communities, slim choices may represent an opening for “surplus lines” companies, which are often based overseas, with rates that are not regulated by the state.

Other reasons for increases 
Some industry groups blame roof scams and lawsuits for making things worse. Florida accounted for less than 10% of the nation’s claims but around 80% of the lawsuits, said Mark Friedlander, Florida-based spokesman for the Insurance Information Institute.
Six insurers fell into insolvency this year and 27 other struggling Florida residential insurers are on the insurance regulator’s “watch list,” he said.
His group estimates the insured losses from Hurricane Ian will exceed $60 billion, making it the second-largest U.S. catastrophe on record behind 2005’s Hurricane Katrina, which reached $90 billion in today’s dollars.
“We have forecasted litigation expenses from disputed Ian claims may run $10 billion to $20 billion,” Friedlander said. “This could lead to the failure of several more struggling Florida home insurers.”
But some state legislators have questioned if this fully explains why insurers fail, since companies can generally pass on legal costs in their rates.
In a special legislative session in May, state Sen. Gary Farmer, D-Fort Lauderdale, called it a “joke” that state regulations let company owners put up only $15 million in capital, framing that as inadequate to meet modern financial challenges.
Skeptical lawmakers also have questioned the shifting of money between insurers and affiliated companies that owners control, which can weaken the core insurer.
If the going gets rough, owners of weakly capitalized domestic insurance companies often wind up walking away and leaving consumers on the hook to pay off remaining claims through assessments on insurance bills statewide. One such 1.3% assessment has been imposed this year for claims associated with the failed Orlando-based St. Johns Insurance Co. and other, smaller firms, for example.

Past insurance failures
Official state reports on why insurers fail can take many years to become public, but those that have emerged going back a decade or more offer some glimpses.
Take a 2017 report on Miami-based Northern Capital Insurance Co. It agreed to take up the policies of up to 40,000 Citizens customers, largely in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties, before eventually going out of business.
The company’s receiver filed an action against the directors and officers of NCIC for breach of fiduciary duty, negligence, and questionable diligence concerning transfers of money, state records show.
The company’s surplus, or money set aside to pay claims, fell to negative $4 million at one stage. Yet it paid substantial “management fees” to a company its owners controlled, and its parent company paid nearly $1.1 million in dividends to “investors” — including current and former company officers and directors, and companies they controlled — a year before liquidation, records show.
A 2016 report on Jacksonville-based Sunshine State Insurance Co. highlighted millions of dollars in payments shuffled between parent and sister companies without written agreements or regulatory approval. It noted a $200,000 bonus for the president the year before state regulators placed the insurer in liquidation. He said in a meeting he felt he deserved a $600,000 bonus, according to the state report.
In 2015, a report on Tampa-based Homewise Insurance Co. found it was crippled by an “excessive outflow of cash” to its affiliated management company, including $63 million in one year alone. That was used to pay, among other things, “significant executive and management salaries and benefits.”
Or consider Hollywood-based Coral Insurance Co., liquidated in 2010. The reasons for its failure included, in the order cited in an insolvency report: mismanagement by officers, inadequate capital and surplus, and underwriting losses.

Hurricane season’s impact
More than 415,000 residential property claims have been filed from Ian as of Oct. 28, with 25.5% reported “closed,” state records show. About 28.2% of the 2,438 claims in Palm Beach County had been closed.
The good news for homeowners and businesses is that only one month is left to the 2022 hurricane season, which ends Nov. 30. They may still get a shock in the mail when their new premiums arrive, but they may at least luck out and not have to file any windstorm claims themselves this year.

Work has stopped on the Estates at Ocean Delray, at 1900 S. Ocean Blvd., with the developer in bankruptcy proceedings and now facing federal charges. Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

By John Pacenti

New Jersey developer National Realty Investment Advisors brought sleek modernism to the Old Florida feel of the county pocket next to Briny Breezes with the townhomes of Gulf Stream Views.
It was the developer behind Ocean Delray, luxury condominiums down Ocean Boulevard where one unit at the three-story complex, dubbed the van Gogh, sold for $7.6 million. NRIA was also behind at least four spec mansions along the same stretch of coastal highway.
But now the firm is engulfed in a Chapter 11 bankruptcy and accused by federal regulators of defrauding investors. The company and four of its executives were charged Oct. 13 by the Securities and Exchange Commission with running a $600 million Ponzi-like scheme. 
The June 7 filing in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in New Jersey stopped work on its ongoing projects. That includes a months-long stoppage at the Estates at Ocean Delray, 1900 S. Ocean Blvd., five distinct homes across the road from the namesake condominium.
There is also a high-end apartment project in the heart of Delray Beach called “The 301” for which the firm says it is awaiting city approval of its plans. Outside of Palm Beach County, NRIA announced in March it would build a 43-story high-rise project in downtown Fort Lauderdale.
Where the bankruptcy filing leaves projects under construction or in the planning stages remains to be seen.
Generally, these types of bankruptcies involving real estate have a line of contractors, subcontractors, vendors, creditors and investors looking to get paid, said Steven Wallace, a Florida Bar board-certified real estate attorney and partner with Ward Damon, which specializes in bankruptcy and real estate law.
“If the contractor or subcontractors haven’t been paid, they generally stop work,” Wallace said.
On a sunny Friday morning on Oct. 21, there were no work crews at the Estates at Ocean Delray, which remain pretty much concrete shells. A man sitting in a car outside said he represented a new builder taking over the project and that it had been dormant for four months. He would not identify the builder.
U.S. Construction built Ocean Delray and had started the homes.
Palm Beach County records show 27 liens filed by subcontractors against U.S. Construction since late July — although some appear duplicative.
Fort Lauderdale-based Blackfin Building & Development says it is owed more than $192,000 for constructing the shells of the five homes and other work. Doral-based Suntech Plumbing & Mechanical says it is owed about $345,000. Fire protection, equipment rental, roofing and fencing companies have also filed liens.
Philadelphia-based U.S. Construction sued NRIA in March for breach of contract over a stalled project in Philadelphia.
NRIA, based in Secaucus, New Jersey, alleged in an adversarial lawsuit that the construction company participated in fraudulent construction and development contracts. U.S. Construction denied the allegation in a bisnow.com report and the suit — at least in federal court — has been withdrawn.
Dustin Salzano, the son of former NRIA executive Thomas Nicholas Salzano — who is facing a separate criminal charge — is the co-owner and chief financial officer for U.S. Construction, Bisnow.com reported.
Efforts to obtain comment from the attorneys representing NRIA in bankruptcy and the secured creditors committee about the future of ongoing construction of the Estates at Ocean Delray and other projects were not successful. A call was also made to the attorney representing U.S. Construction for comment.

NRIA projects by dozens
NRIA put up capital for projects in South Florida, Brooklyn, Philadelphia and its home state of New Jersey. It owns a total of 31 completed properties, three near completion and 16 that are under construction or in the planning stages, according to the bankruptcy filing.
The value of these properties currently is asserted to be $225 million.
NRIA delineated its projects into fund properties and personal placement properties, according to its website.
Securities regulators say up to 2,000 investors were sold “membership units” for $50,000 each between 2018 and January 2022.
Gulf Stream Views and Ocean Delray fall under what NRIA called “fund properties” on its website. Both are completed. Neighbors in the County Pocket said they see very few residents inhabiting Gulf Stream Views, which opened in July 2021, though NRIA says sales of all 14 townhomes have closed.
State securities regulators in New Jersey alleged NRIA used straw buyers to create nonexistent sales of certain units. 
Shortly after The Coastal Star asked questions about NRIA’s properties and ongoing projects, the firm’s website links about investment properties stopped working. Any investor inquiries are now directed to the firm representing the official committee of unsecured creditors.

Neighbor worries validated
Marie Chapman, who has lived in the County Pocket for 15 years, says concerns voiced about flooding before Gulf Stream Views was built came to fruition with the construction of the townhomes.
She said the project brought in 16 feet of fill that put the Pocket in a hole where Gulf Stream Views’ irrigation system runs right into homes. Chapman made adjustments to her home so the water comes only in the garage.
Chapman said the news of the bankruptcy and the Ponzi scheme allegations “does bring me and my neighbors some satisfaction, but it would have been better if they were stopped when we raised our concerns with the county.”
At the time of its proposal by NRIA’s luxury home division, NRLiving, residents in Briny Breezes and the County Pocket worried about how Gulf Stream Views’ aesthetic would affect the way of life of one of the last affordable bastions of oceanfront living in Palm Beach County — especially drainage and traffic issues.
Besides the condominium complexes, NRIA has numerous private placement properties where investors’ money is used for new construction or renovation of some prominent properties. 
One such property was the 6,117-square-foot home at 3565 N. Ocean Blvd. in Gulf Stream, which sold to the head of a California investment firm in May 2021 for $14.9 million. It was flipped one year later for $27.5 million to James Sausville, a titan in the food preserving industry.
Another spec property was the 7,592-square-foot Gulf Stream home at 2929 N. Ocean Blvd., which was sold to a trust for $15.9 million in May 2021. That property was then flipped this past March for $26.7 million to a trust associated with Elliott Management, an investment firm that recently relocated to West Palm Beach.
Wallace said private companies like NRIA are able to sell stock or membership interest in the limited liability corporations formed for each private placement property. 
The parent company created private businesses for each of its properties, and all of its 138 active LLCs filed separately for bankruptcy.
These types of investments had been around a long time, Wallace said, but since Congress passed the JOBS Act in 2012 — short for Jumpstart Our Business Startups — companies like NRIA could start soliciting investors directly through television, radio, social media and billboards.
The company employed a nationwide advertising campaign including radio advertisements and billboards located at the entrances of the Lincoln and Holland tunnels. NRIA also advertised on Fox News.
“It increased the ways folks could raise capital and it led to these types of bad actors,” Wallace said.
NRIA’s past and present properties are squirreled away under LLCs in the bankruptcy filing. 
An 11,500-square-foot Delray Beach home at 344 N. Ocean Blvd. sold for $14 million in January. A 7,490-square-foot home at 707 N. Ocean Blvd. in Delray Beach sold for nearly $16 million in March 2021. Two properties at 1200 Palm Trail in Delray Beach sold for $4 million in December 2020.
A map on NRIA’s website shows at least eight other properties, almost exclusively in Delray Beach, that the company apparently flipped.

SEC alleges personal use of investors’ money
The money that fueled all of this construction and renovation came from a classic Ponzi-like scheme where investors were promised up to 20% returns, according to the SEC.
The SEC’s complaint alleges NRIA and its executives used investors’ money to fund personal and luxury purchases for the executives and their families. Investors’ money was also used to pay a reputation management firm to “thwart investors’ due diligence of the executives.”
“In classic Ponzi fashion, these defendants allegedly told investors that they would be paid distributions from profits of their fund when, in reality, payments were being made from the investors’ own funds,” said Thomas P. Smith Jr., associate regional director of enforcement in the SEC’s New York Regional Office.
The four executives named by the SEC are Thomas Salzano, Rey E. Grabato II, Daniel Coley O’Brien, and Arthur S. Scutaro.
The SEC alleges nearly $1.25 million was sent from the NRIA account where fund investments were deposited into Grabato’s business LLC and personal accounts. 
Salzano was charged separately in a federal complaint in March with one count of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. The Justice Department accused Salzano of using a sham loan document with a forged signature in an unsuccessful attempt to obtain a $150,000 investment for a purported real estate venture in New Jersey.
Weeks after the company filed for Chapter 11 reorganization, the New Jersey Bureau of Securities filed a cease and desist order against the company. The company slashed staffing by terminating 60 employees and at the time of the bankruptcy filing was operating with eight employees. 
The bankruptcy states that investors held $540 million in membership interests, there was $10 million owed to creditors and trade vendors, and $38 million owed on outstanding mortgages. 
“What makes this behavior even more callous is that they allegedly took advantage of 382 retirees who had contributed more than $94 million in savings,” the SEC’s Smith said.
Wallace, the real estate attorney, said in these types of Ponzi schemes that once creditors and contractors get paid, investors find themselves at the back of the line.
“In these Ponzi schemes it’s rare these investors get anything,” he said.