By Tao Woolfe

Boynton Beach went through another seminal change last month as acting City Manager Jim Stables stepped down and former Police Capt. Daniel D. Dugger took his place.
Dugger, who received mixed reviews during his brief candidacy for city manager, was officially and unanimously named city manager at a City Commission meeting on Sept. 22.
“I thank the city commissioners for the confidence they have in me,” Dugger said in a short acceptance speech. “I live in Boynton Beach. It is my home. I take the city to heart.”
The new city manager said he did not, however, take to heart residents’ criticisms that he was under-qualified for his new post. Instead, he said, “I take criticism as passion to make sure the city is doing well.”
He was referring to residents’ comments at two August City Commission meetings that knocked him for not having the minimal qualifications for the job.
Barbara Ready and Susan Oyer were among several residents who urged the commission to hire headhunters to find a city manager who would understand the complex workings of government and truly be a leader.
The city manager search had been handled by the city’s human resources department.
The commissioners ultimately sided with the many people who praised Dugger for his longtime investment in the city and its people, his popularity and his 18 years of experience with the Boynton Beach Police Department.
Dugger has risen through the department ranks from patrol officer to detective first-grade. He became a sergeant in 2016 and last year was promoted to captain.
He holds a bachelor’s degree from University of Phoenix.
Woodrow Hay, the only commissioner to vote against Dugger at a special meeting in August, joined his colleagues in supporting the new city manager at the Sept. 22 meeting.
“I do plan to work with Dan Dugger,” Hay said. “Personal feelings are beside the point when it comes to the betterment of Boynton Beach.”
Oyer said after the meeting that she had been talking to Dugger and hopes for a good working relationship. “We’ve agreed to disagree so we can work together,” she said. “I have a lot of green initiatives I want the city to work on and he’s amenable to most.”
The commissioners and Dugger expressed regret that Stables was not only stepping down, but leaving the city to return to his native state of Tennessee.
“I wholeheartedly believe the city is better now than when he took over,” said Commissioner Thomas Turkin, summing up his colleagues’ feelings about Stables on the job. “Through difficult times … he handled it with such poise.”
In his parting words of advice, Stables praised the city staff and urged the commissioners and Dugger to listen to the concerns of employees and residents rather than react defensively.
“There is great value in the words of those who disagree,” Stables said.
He also urged the commissioners to throw their wholehearted support behind Dugger and to work with him to make Boynton Beach a better place.
“Don’t forget the lessons of the past, but stay focused on the bright future ahead,” Stables said.
Stables was tapped for the interim manager position at a special commission meeting April 25. He had been the city’s fire chief for a little more than a year at the time.
The unanimous vote for Stables as interim city manager came days after commissioners fired longtime City Manager Lori LaVerriere during an emotionally fraught City Commission meeting.
It remains unclear exactly why LaVerriere was fired after 10 years on the job, but she had been criticized lately for her lack of diplomacy and for failing to deliver on a downtown development project.
It was a tumultuous time for the city. Most of the city commissioners were new to the job and the Police Department and city officials were under fire after a 13-year-old boy was killed during a Dec. 26 police chase.
The boy, Stanley Davis III, crashed his dirt bike at a speed of 85 mph on North Federal Highway with Boynton Beach Police Officer Mark Sohn in close pursuit.
Sohn was fired in August after a months-long internal affairs investigation found that the officer had violated the department’s strict vehicular pursuit policy on more than one occasion.
Sohn also violated the officers’ code of ethics and engaged in conduct unbecoming to a police officer, according to the internal report written by newly named Police Chief Joseph DeGiulio.
Dugger and DeGiulio will have to steer through the aftermath of that firing in the coming months, but they will have legal help.

Outside counsel hired for police, Town Square cases
The same day Sohn’s firing was announced, a Palm Beach County Police Benevolent Association attorney filed a grievance against the Police Department alleging that Sohn had been disciplined through termination “without just cause.”
The union, through an arbitration process, seeks to have Sohn reinstated as a police officer, “along with back pay, wages, pension contributions and all associated emoluments,” according to the grievance letter.
At a City Commission meeting on Sept. 8, DeGiulio asked that an outside law firm — specializing in law enforcement arbitration cases — be hired to help steer the department through the Sohn arbitration process.
If Sohn wins, “It will erode confidence in the Police Department,” DeGiulio told the commission.
The police chief suggested the city hire the Fort Lauderdale firm of Kopelowitz, Ostrow, Ferguson, Weiselberg, Gilbert — popularly known as KO.
KO attorney David Ferguson, who was in the audience for the Sept. 8 meeting, said his specialty is “making sure the discipline that was meted out sticks.”
He added that his firm has fought 30 Broward Sheriff’s Office arbitration cases and has not lost any of them.
Hay said the Sohn case had ripped apart the community and it is vital that the Boynton Beach Police Department prevails in the arbitration.
“All eyes will be on it,” Hay said. “I do feel you would represent us well.”
Ferguson replied: “I will do my best.”
The attorney also agreed to cut his usual fee of $550 an hour to $225 for the Boynton Beach PD.
The commission voted unanimously to hire the KO firm.
In a related matter, the City Commission agreed to hire outside counsel to help the city attorney navigate the stalled negotiations between Boynton Beach and Town Square developer JKM Developers of Boca Raton.
The commission hired the West Palm Beach firm of Lewis, Longman & Walker to assist with a legal morass that has lingered in the courts for more than a year.
The case centers on a disagreement over the construction of parking garages for the massive $250 million public/private project intended to revitalize Boynton’s downtown.

BOCA RATON — Glen King Parker of Boca Raton died Sept. 2 at Boca Raton Regional Hospital after a brief illness. He was 85.
Born in Manhattan and raised on Long Island, the son of Glen J.A. Parker and Valeta King, Mr. Parker moved to South Florida in the 1950s, where he married and spent all of his adult life.
Early in life he was not shy about expressing his opinion — at age 13 penning a published letter to the editor in famed Life magazine defending the then-maligned scientist Albert Einstein. His entrepreneurial skills also started early, with an accident photography business on Long Island and then real estate and investment companies in South Florida.
He is best known for his Institute for Econometric Research, which revolutionized the investment-advice publishing industry through the application of computer-generated forecasts that required overnight use of some of the most powerful computers of the early 1970s. The institute also popularized a series of low-cost newsletters for investors, beginning with Market Logic in 1975, that helped make investment information widely available.
Mr. Parker pioneered many early direct marketing techniques that became standard fixtures of subscription marketing. The business was so successful that, after its launch of Mutual Funds magazine in 1993, Time Inc. acquired it in 1998.
He was devoted to causes of freedom of the press and civil liberties. As chair of the freedom of the press committee of the Newsletter Publishers Association, he spearheaded the fight all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court in a landmark case for publisher freedom. The case, Lowe v. SEC, was unanimously decided by the 1985 court in favor of the publishers. He was also a longtime supporter of the ACLU.
He loved fine wine and dining and was a gourmet cook. He championed local chefs and restaurateurs and served for years as bailee (chair) of the local chapter of the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs, an international gastronomic society.
He was a truly devoted husband, son and father, and was tireless in making sure those he loved were supported and successful.
Surviving Mr. Parker are: his wife, Sandy, of Boca Raton; his son and daughter-in-law, Randy and Nancy Parker of Brookline, Massachusetts, and children Allee, Myles and Camden; his daughter and daughter-in-law, Robin Parker and Denise Jayroe of Portland, Oregon, and son Zayn; his daughter, Suzanne Maddux of Alpharetta, Georgia, and children Mackenzie, Parker and Spencer (Tripp); his stepson, Sean Eastham of Paris, France, and children Valentine, Sacha and Tristan; his stepdaughter and stepson-in-law, Ashley and Sean Caulfield of Cohasset, Massachusetts, and children Owen, Maddie and Finn; and his sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Candy and Mike Donnelly of Boca Raton.
In lieu of flowers or gifts, please contribute generously to the Alzheimer’s Association, www.alz.org, in honor of Sandy Parker’s ongoing battle with the disease.

—Obituary submitted by the family

By Sallie James

OCEAN RIDGE — Former Ocean Ridge Commissioner Nancy Hogan, an outspoken public servant and devoted Republican who helped on every presidential campaign from Ronald Reagan to Donald Trump, died on Aug. 31 at Delray Medical Center of a lengthy illness. She was 75.
Nancy Lynn Turnbull Hogan and her husband, Stephen, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary less than a year ago. The two met on a double date, each paired with another, but connected forever when Nancy invited Stephen to a wedding a week later. The two married on Nov. 5, 1971.
The story is no surprise to those who knew her.
“I don’t think she had a shy bone in her body,” conceded Ocean Ridge Commissioner Geoff Pugh, who served with Mrs. Hogan on the commission. “It was refreshing. Too many people don’t say what they are thinking and she would actually say what she thought. Sometimes you agreed and sometimes you disagreed.”
“Oh yes, she was pretty good at letting you know her opinion,” Stephen Hogan chuckled. “She lost (the election) a second time maybe because she was a little too outspoken for some people. She loved serving Ocean Ridge. She loved government.”
The Hogans moved to Ocean Ridge in 1991. A town commissioner from 2005-2008, Mrs. Hogan was detail oriented, informed and always concerned.
“She was definitely an asset to the community and she always tried her best. She was very forthright and very detailed,” Pugh said.
Mrs. Hogan attended Scotia-Glenville High School in Scotia, New York, then earned a bachelor of science degree from the College of Saint Rose in Albany, New York, and a master’s of public administration from the State University of New York at Albany.
Mrs. Hogan started her career as an auditor in New York state, and worked for the state comptroller though the New York City bankruptcy of 1975. She served on the Schenectady Municipal Housing Authority and ran for the county Board of Commissioners there.
She eventually became a real estate agent and broker and was licensed in New York, Georgia, Connecticut and Florida, the same states she was also licensed as a CPA.
But aside from her family, politics was her true love. Mrs. Hogan served on the Republican Executive Committees in several states. Along with her involvement with multiple presidential campaigns, she worked on Florida gubernatorial campaigns from Jeb Bush to Ron DeSantis.
She was an original member of the National Organization for Women and a longtime member of the League of Women Voters. She was also a Daughter of the American Revolution and a minister in the Alliance of Divine Love.
She was a devoted community advocate and belonged to a wide range of organizations, including the Ocean Ridge Garden Club, the Ocean Ridge Book Club, the Palm Beach Civic Society, the Forum Club, the Boynton Beach Woman’s Club, the Palm Beach and Boca Raton Republican Women’s Clubs, the Boynton Beach Realtors, the Boynton Beach Chamber of Commerce and served on the boards of the Florida Association of Realtors, the National Association of Realtors and the Republican Executive Committee, where she was closely involved in the distribution of Political Action Committee funds and scholarship awards.
In addition to her husband, Mrs. Hogan is survived by two sons, Ashley of McKinney, Texas, and Trevor of San Diego; a brother, Darny Turnbull of Fort Myers; two sisters, June Shaw of Saratoga Springs, New York, and Mary Jo Cottrell of Pleasant Valley, New York, and Orlando; and a granddaughter, Brynn McKenna of McKinney.
A celebration of life is planned for 11 a.m. Oct. 15 at Ocean Ridge Town Hall, 6450 N. Ocean Blvd. A second event will be held Nov. 5 at a site to be determined in Scotia, New York.

The real estate market in Gulf Stream continues to post significant sales. ABOVE: The oceanfront compound at 2817 N. Ocean Blvd. sold for $29 million in September. BELOW RIGHT: A historic Gulf Stream mansion fetched the town’s highest price for a non-oceanfront property. The ‘Lemon Hill’ home at 1200 N. Ocean Blvd. sold for $16.5 million. Photos provided

By Christine Davis

The majestic beauty of the rising sun over the Atlantic Ocean is one of the perks Gulf Stream oceanfront homeowners enjoy. These days, the seaside residents are also seeing the prices of their homes rise.
Michael and Dena Rashes sold their estate at 2817 N. Ocean Blvd. for $29 million in September. The new owner is Brian O’Neill.
This transaction is just short of the record-breaking oceanfront Gulf Stream deal of $33 million on March 3 at 3545 N. Ocean Blvd.
The Rashes’ estate, “Viento y Mar,” has a storied past, said agent Pascal Liguori, who with his son, Antonio Liguori, held the listing.
“It sold for just under three times its previous purchase price,” said Liguori, who leads the Pascal Liguori Estate Group at Premier Estate Properties.
“A completely renovated oceanfront compound, it was designed by Howard Brougham Major, a prominent New York architect, and built for Howard Whitney in 1926. Whitney was a partner with the Wall Street firm of Kissam, Whitney & Co. and president of the U.S. Golf Association.”
With more than 200 feet of oceanfront, this eight-bedroom estate on 1.32 acres includes a main house and a number of outbuildings. “The amount of land, the abundance of oceanfront, the proximity to Delray Beach and the architectural significance were attractive to our buyer,” said Geoff Braboy, who with David Gunther represented O’Neill.
Braboy and Gunther, previously with Lang Realty/Delray Beach, recently opened their own brokerage, Atlantic Waterfront Properties, 1855 Dr. Andres Way, Suite 3, Delray Beach.

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A couple of weeks earlier, the historic Gulf Stream mansion at 1200 N. Ocean Blvd. marked a town record-breaking sale for a non-oceanfront property of $16.5 million. Stephen Benjamin sold his property, dubbed “Lemon Hill,” to Lemon Hill Partners LLC. Randy Ely and Nick Malinosky of Douglas Elliman’s Randy and Nick team represented Benjamin. Betsy Cooke and Brad Cooke of the Corcoran Group’s Cooke team represented the buyer.
On a canal off the Intracoastal Waterway, the 1939-era Georgian-style mansion was designed by society architect Marion Sims Wyeth. Benjamin paid $7.1 million for it in 2018.
Betsy Cooke did not disclose the buyers, but confirmed they intend to restore the home. “My buyers’ family has a long history in the town of Gulf Stream and they have always been interested in preserving historic properties,” Cooke said.
She said the property was advertised as a “rare opportunity with approximately 250 linear-foot yacht basin currently under construction as well as infinity edge pool and patio.”
 Benjamin is a decorated yachtsman. He won a silver medal at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, was named Yachtsman of the Year in 2015 by US Sailing, and now heads North Sails, a sales and service facility for custom sails, in Miami.

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Another Gulf Stream mansion recently made headlines. The James and Estee Sausville estate at 3565 N. Ocean Blvd. was selected as the overall winner in the HGTV Ultimate House Hunt 2022.
The Sausvilles bought their home in June for $27.5 million from James and Kimberly Caccavo.
“It definitely set a record for Gulf Stream at $4,495 per square foot,” said Michelle Noga, who co-listed the property with Paula Wittmann, both agents with William Raveis Real Estate. In that transaction, Mitch Frank, with Echo Fine Properties, represented the buyers.

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El-Ad National Properties’ Alina Residences condominium project received a $100 million construction loan for its second phase from UMB Bank, according to records.
The first phase, Alina 200, a nine-story 121-unit building at 200 SE Mizner Blvd., was finished last year and has reached a $300 million sellout, according to an August news release from El-Ad.
The Phase Two buildings at 210 and 220 SE Mizner Blvd., consisting of 182 condos slated to be completed by late 2024, are approaching 50% sold. Agents of Douglas Elliman New Development Marketing are handling the sales. For more information, visit www.alinabocaraton.com.

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Following a $65 million transformation, guests will enjoy luxe suites and breathtaking views from The Boca Raton’s 27-story Tower, the resort’s fifth hotel, set to reopen later this fall. It is just adjacent to the Harborside Pool Club.
Designed by the Rockwell Group, 224 rooms and suites will feature a contemporary coastal aesthetic with a luxurious yet casual vibe. Details include built-in window seating, bleached wood furniture, neutral linen fabrics, fluted feature walls and classic molding.
Rooms and suites will deliver flexible configurations, from connecting suites to entire floor takeovers, ideal for multi-generational families and groups of friends. A special touch in the Presidential Suite will include binoculars by Luxxoptica, and high-touch services for all guests will blend with modern technology.
For example, to enjoy an in-room movie, guests can opt for a cinema snack delivery from one of two Tower Robot Butlers. At the Tower Lounge, guests will enjoy complimentary pastries and coffee for breakfast, an assortment of afternoon snacks, and as a special weekend treat, a Sundae Bar will be offered. For more information, visit www.TheBocaRaton.com.

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Florida Atlantic University’s ranking is on the rise this year, moving to No. 132 from No. 140 in the U.S. News & World Report list of “Top Public Schools” of the nation’s best universities. It ranked No. 41 in “Social Mobility,” which is based on graduation rates of students receiving Pell grants. It is the No. 1 public university in Florida for campus ethnic diversity, according to the report, and is designated as Hispanic-serving by the U.S. Department of Education.
In other rankings, FAU moved up 27 spots to No. 93 on the list of undergraduate nursing programs. Its undergraduate business programs moved up to No. 164 from No. 190.

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After years of experience in the yachting field, Tim Juliano provides personalized property management solutions through his new company, Mainstay Management. Services include vendor coordination and monitoring, home repairs, home watch and estate security, seasonal open and close, and hurricane prep. Boat and yacht services are also available.
Juliano, a Boca Raton resident, is a licensed community association manager and holds a U.S. Coast Guard 1,600-ton master’s license.
For more information, visit www.MainstayMgmt.com or call 561-367-5339.

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Bond Street Salon’s 17th anniversary on July 23 was cause for a party with 100 guests in attendance, said Lauren Donald, founder and owner of the Delray Beach salon, a Five Star Beauty Destination noted by New Beauty magazine.
“Surviving the COVID-19 pandemic that shut down Bond Street Salon is something I wanted to celebrate as a small business owner,” said Donald. “I also wanted the 17th anniversary party to be an opportunity to support another Delray Beach woman-owned small business, which is why I selected Sweet’s Sensational Jamaican Cuisine to cater” the party’s light bites.
Bond Street Salon is at 25 NE Second Ave./Pineapple Grove Way. For more information, call 561-468-3303 or visit bondstreetsalon.com.

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The Schmidt Boca Raton History Museum, home of the Boca Raton Historical Society, marks its 50th anniversary at a golden jubilee event on Oct. 26 at the Addison, 2 E. Camino Real, Boca Raton. The museum was founded in 1972 as a nonprofit organization in the 1927-era historic Town Hall, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. General admission tickets for the jubilee, priced at $200 and $180 for historical society members, can be purchased at https://shop.bocahistory.org/collections/tickets.

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GL Homes is funding the Boys and Girls Clubs of Delray Beach and Boca Raton’s hunger relief programs. ABOVE: Club members with Sarah Alsofrom of GL Homes, seated left, and club Director Candace Burrs. Photo provided

GL Homes will fully fund Boys & Girls Clubs of Delray Beach and Boca Raton’s hunger relief programs with a $16,000 donation that will go toward 12,000 meals and snacks to the neediest children in south Palm Beach County.
“Hunger is an urgent issue that must be addressed. It is unacceptable that any child goes to bed hungry in Palm Beach County,” said GL Homes community relations senior director Sarah Alsofrom.

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Jose Sotillo is the newest member of the YMCA of the Palm Beaches board of directors. Previously, Sotillo, IBM’s business development executive for 39 years, also served in leadership positions for several charitable organizations, including the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

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The League of Women Voters of Palm Beach County will host a Hot Topic discussion on election issues, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 19.
Guest speakers will be Wendy Sartory Link, supervisor of elections for Palm Beach County, and Marcia Herman, the League of Women Voters’ first vice president and chief of its speakers’ bureau.
The event will be held at Mounts Botanical Garden Exhibit Hall, 559 N. Military Trail, West Palm Beach. Prices to attend include $20 for a boxed lunch and $12 for entry to the garden, available at https://lwvpbc.org/event/october-hot-topic-3/#tribe-tickets.

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

Among the nominees and Junior League members are: (l-r, sitting) Dr. Sarah Lochner, Kristin Foret Viets, Kelly Fleming, Christen Ritchey, Maria Timmins Fife, Kirsten Stephenson, Ashley Craig, Anita Detert; (l-r, standing) event Co-Chairwomen Reilly Glasser, Ashley Huxhold and Amy Procacci with Carly Yoost, Laura Wilborn, Donna Holland, Holly Schuttler, Margi Cross, Wendy Elliott, Leighan Roberts Rinker, Carin Friedman, Jesse Barrass, Esther Perman, Summer Faerman and President Jamie Sauer. Photo provided

By Amy Woods

The Junior League of Boca Raton has announced the 35 women who have been nominated for the 35th annual Woman Volunteer of the Year award.
Nonprofits from across South Florida referred their top volunteers to be considered for the honor. The recipient will be named at the Nov. 4 luncheon at Boca West Country Club.
The nominees are: Jesse Barrass, Chiara Clark, Ashley Craig, Margi Cross, Anita Detert, Wendy Dohner, Zoe Dulaney, Wendy Elliott, Summer Faerman, Heather Shaw Fairs, Maria Timmins Fife, Kelly Fleming, Carin Friedman, Olga Lucia Gaviria, Doris Gillman, Donna Holland, Nancy Hooker, Dyana Kenney, Tracy Lautomne, Dr. Sarah Lochner, Phyllis Melman, Linda Gunn Paton, Esther Perman, Barbara Richardson, Leighan Roberts Rinker, Christen Ritchey, Maggie Rosenberg, Holly Schuttler, Marci Shatzman, Kirsten Stephenson, N’Quavah Velazquez, Kristin Foret Viets, Deanna Wheeler, Laura Wilborn and Carly Yoost.
“These incredible nominees have made such a vast difference for our community,” league President Jamie Sauer said. “We are looking forward to honoring these truly deserving women.”
For information, call 561-620-2553 or visit www.jlbr.org.

Three volunteers join family-focused charity
The Fuller Center, a nonprofit focused on empowering children and families through education and support, has named new members to both its center and foundation boards. Doug Mithun has been named to the former, and Kathy Conway-Yaffe and Todd Skelton have been named to the latter.
Mithun is a financial adviser and life coach. He serves as a trustee for the Boca Raton Museum of Art and is a volunteer and sponsor for the Boca West Children’s Foundation.
Conway-Yaffe, who retired from Merrill Lynch after 44 years, is a big believer in financial literacy in schools. She is active with the Center for Economic Education at Florida Atlantic University, promoting programs that teach instructors how to convey financial and economic concepts to their students.
Skelton is president and CEO of an automotive dealership.
For information, call 561-391-7274 or visit www.fullercenterfl.org.

Back to School PBC event takes flight
Staff members from the Boca Raton Airport Authority as well as airport tenants donated 10 boxes of supplies to the Spirit of Giving Network for a back-to-school project.
Supplies were used to fill backpacks at the nonprofit’s yearly Back to School PBC event. Items included personal-hygiene products, socks, notebooks, paper, pencils, crayons and glue sticks.
“We enjoy helping Palm Beach County students prepare for the school year by collecting school supplies with the help of our airport tenants and the local community,” Boca Raton Airport Authority Executive Director Clara Bennett said.
For information, call 561-385-0144 or visit https://spiritofgivingnetwork.com.

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

Nov. 12: The affair organized by the Rotary Club Downtown Boca Raton will celebrate city visionaries past and present at a black-tie dinner dance that raises funds to support health and wellness needs in the community. Time is 6:30 p.m. Cost is $400. Call 561-392-5166 or visit rotarydowntownbocaraton.org. ABOVE: (l-r, sitting) Jeff Weber, Rosie Inguanzo-Martin, Nicole Whitney, Ingrid Fulmer; (standing) Gloria Wank, Dr. Ron Rubin, Arlene Herson, Constance Scott, Marilyn Wilson, Kim Champion, Bruce Spizler, David Eltringham, Jon Kaye, Jonathan Whitney, Dyana Kenney, Howard Tai, Linda Petrakis, Alan Kaye, Gwen Herb, Dr. Allen Konis and Shaheer Hosh. Photo provided by Gina Fontana

Headlined by Rich and Jill Switzer, Deborah Silver, Anthony Nunziata, Avery Sommers and Phil Hinton, a special evening to benefit a beloved member of South County’s public-relations community was a rousing success. A sold-out crowd of 200 raised money for Schweikhart’s recovery from a near-fatal accident. In July, a vehicle traveling twice the speed limit slammed into his home office, resulting in his needing a metal plate in his face because of a fractured mandible and orbital floor. The uplifting evening also rang in the PR pro’s birthday. ABOVE: (l-r) Nunziata, Jill Switzer, Schweikhart, Silver and Sommers. Photo provided by Jacek Gancarz

Following a two-year hiatus because of COVID, Boca Helping Hands had its annual fundraiser — an afternoon of fun and bowling. Proceeds support the nonprofit’s weekend meal program and the 12 children’s charities invited to participate. The event attracted 250 guests, with more than half the lanes reserved for 151 children from the 12 charities. Everyone enjoyed pizza, wings, barbecue sandwiches and chips and salsa, and each of the children received 10 free raffle tickets for chances to win one of 15 baskets filled with toys, games, sporting equipment, art supplies and more. Trophies were awarded. ABOVE: (l-r) Leonard Wierzbowski, Jean Ross, Terry Blackman and Mavis Miller. Photo provided by Gina Fontana

South County leaders competed in the popular dance fundraising extravaganza, bringing in proceeds of more than $900,000 to benefit the George Snow Scholarship Fund. It marked the first in-person audience for the show since 2019. Paired with professionals from Fred Astaire Dance Studios in Boca Raton, contestants battled it out for the coveted Mirror Ball trophy, won this year by top fundraisers Andrea Virgin and Howard Kanner. ABOVE: Dance pro James Brann and Erica Kasel take a spin. Photo provided

By Jan Norris

Food safety and ice cream were hot topics this summer, as some big brands were recalled because of listeria, a harmful pathogen.
But it wasn’t a problem for the Ice Cream Club because of strict protocols in place at the company’s Boynton Beach facility, according to co-founder Richard Draper.
Training workers, vetting suppliers and exercising constant vigilance are crucial, he said.
“We tell our workers they’re not making shoes — they’re making something that goes into people’s mouths. You can’t say, ‘I’ll get this almost right,’” Draper said.
They’ve learned solutions by dealing with problems unique to small-to-midsize manufacturers of food, and now the company teaches others how to prevent foodborne illness at the manufacturing stage, he said.
Draper is part of a national group, the Artisan Ice Cream Food Safety Advisory Team, created through the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy.
“We straddle the industry,” he said, describing his company of 60 employees as small compared with corporate giants, but “a big fish in a small pond” among the community of artisan ice cream makers.
The Ice Cream Club owns only the Manalapan ice cream shop of that name but produces 3-gallon tubs of ice cream for larger clients such as hotels, country clubs and retirement communities.
“We learn from the big companies,” Draper said.
He then shares that knowledge with small producers, especially those working with multiple vendors for ingredients.
Ice cream depends on several producers, such as growers and packers of fresh fruits and nuts, and manufacturers of other flavorings that make artisan ice cream special.
“We make a lot of different flavors, and we have a lot of vendors for all the ingredients. The consumer doesn’t see this part of it, they only see our ice cream,” Draper said.
If anything went wrong, the consumer would focus on the ice cream — not the cherries or pistachios, for instance.
The Food Safety Modernization Act, which became federal law in 2011, changed tracking of ingredients and food handling throughout the industry.
Food safety became collaborative, with company owners working with regulators and academia to improve the food chain throughout.
“It was good for the industry,” Draper said. “It flipped things around. Regulators came in and did a real-time look,” and instead of a cursory inspection, focused not just on plant records, but those of the vendors used.
“It put the burden on the company to verify our suppliers,” he said.
Now, food makers are responsible for vetting their vendors and tracking their products — holding them to the safety standards required to keep the process safe at every step.
The Ice Cream Club has safety measures from door to door, from delivery of ingredients and storage, to the cleaning of the plant and constant employee training. All must pass inspections.
“It’s safety first,” Draper said, then quality. Technology is a help, evolving along with the industry, identifying and solving potential problems before they become harmful.
“It’s all made us a better company, too,” he said.
The food safety focus can’t be overstated, Draper said. He said it’s especially important for the people at the retirement homes he serves.
“Our ice cream is often the last food someone can eat — soft and creamy. We don’t take that lightly.”
He checks quality by eating his product and watching workers at his store.
“We live nearby and I like to stop in and see how things are going and watch the faces of the customers when they get their cones,” Draper said.
“It brings them joy.”
The Ice Cream Club, 278 S. Ocean Blvd., Manalapan. 561-582-0778; icecreamclub.com.

Kazan, the flaming volcano cocktail at Kapow. Photo provided

Expanded Kapow opens
After a few setbacks in its timeline, Kapow Noodle Bar has opened in its new space in Mizner Park.
Co-founder Vaughan Dugan of Sub-Culture Group calls it a merging of “art, technology and sustainability.”
The original opened in 2011 to acclaim, with innovative noodle dishes, sushi offerings and a hip vibe.
The pandemic halted the restaurant’s inside business; tents became the norm in the parking area. The owners decided to use the downtime to expand, finding another space in the central courtyard of Mizner Park. They doubled Kapow’s interior seating and added an outdoor covered L-shaped patio, as well as private automated karaoke rooms and an omakase bar.
A new look created by Manhas Design pays tribute to the old, while updating the restaurant. Hanging at the entrance is a lucky waving cat, and a 95-foot animated mural along the ceiling keeps diners engaged.
Rodney Mayo, Sub-Culture founder, said the menu is being updated and will be more of what diners want from Asian-inspired cuisines, including authenticity.
“Diners’ palates have grown along with their desire and openness to try more authentic Asian flavors,” he said in a statement.
Fan favorites remain, however, including salmon tartare crispy tacos, hoisin BBQ baby back ribs, and Vietnamese chicken wings.
New items include Korean wagyu beef tartare, king prawn banh mi, and Cantonese ginger scallion lobster. Vegetarian offerings include carrot dumplings with bamboo shoots and mushrooms.
It’s chef’s choice at the eight-seat omakase bar, where sushi is prepared for an individual dining experience from items not on the menu.
A new corporate pastry chef, Lee Mazor of Miami Beach, will roll out matcha Vietnamese coffee cake, a black sesame cremeux, and an ube gateau — a fudgy, sweet potato cake.
Mixologist Angela Dugan has created new drinks, including the Akai signature cocktail, made with El Tesoro blanco tequila, hibiscus, mezcal, ginger, aloe liqueur, and aquafaba — a chickpea foam. A Kazan is a flaming volcano bowl for two, with two rums, toasted rice and avocado orgeat, yuzu, and coriander-lemongrass stock.
Going into the old Kapow space is Penelope’s, a New Orleans concept from Sub-Culture. Innovation is what the company is all about, and new concepts are constantly in the works, said Vaughan Dugan. “We truly love what we do.”
Kapow Noodle Bar, 402 Plaza Real, Boca Raton. 561-567-8828; www.kapownoodlebar.com.

Coming to Lake Worth
Man Ray, a restaurant by Mayo and Sub-Culture Group, is scheduled to open by the end of the year in the former CWS/Cottage space on Lucerne Avenue in Lake Worth Beach.
It’s a spin-off of Dada, a favorite in Delray Beach. The new restaurant will follow the same eclectic art movement theme, Mayo said, and so takes the name of the famous artist who created it.
It will be a split-schedule space, with a Subculture Coffee shop running till 5 p.m., then becoming Man Ray for dinner service. Weekends are likely to feature live entertainment, Mayo said.
A tree in the middle of the outdoor area reminds Mayo a little of Dada. “I always wanted that space. And it’s off-Avenue. I like off-Avenue.”
The menu will be chef-driven and eclectic, he said, “everything from meatloaf to beef Wellington.”
Finding “the right property at the right time” is the reason he’s going into Lake Worth Beach. “A lot of people have been chewing my ear for years about opening there. My friend owns the building so that helps a lot. No Realtors involved or any of that stuff.”
Another draw is a “whole new audience. A lot of the people in Lake Worth are people like most of my workers who have been priced out of West Palm Beach.”
Moderate modifications are coming to the indoor-outdoor spot, with most seating set to take advantage of the outdoor area.

In brief
Taste of Recovery, the annual dine-around that benefits hospitality workers in recovery, is set for Nov. 5 at Old School Square with a number of Delray Beach area restaurants participating. Chef Louie Bossi of restaurant fame is the founder. ...
Boca Helping Hands is looking for volunteers to help provide meals for Thanksgiving and other holidays. Members of the community can donate the cost of a box for $31.48 at BocaHelpingHands.org/Thanksgiving.

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

Susan Baker of Lake Worth Beach with her 14-year-old poodles, Cubby and Lido. Photo provided

By Arden Moore

Susan Baker recalls her decision to adopt a pair of young poodle brothers from a rescue group as if it was yesterday. Lido and Cubby are now 14, happy and healthy with Baker, of Lake Worth Beach, crediting regular wellness veterinary exams for her duo’s longevity.
“Following my veterinarian’s recommendation, I now book senior wellness exams for them twice a year,” Baker says. “I also now pay closer attention to their eating habits, their bowel habits and their sleeping habits, and report any changes to my veterinarian. I have their teeth cleaned and walk them twice a day. I am so grateful that both are healthy and now 14.”
I must confess. I let several years lapse before I recently underwent a full physical exam by my physician, but like Baker, I make sure all my cats and dogs receive wellness exams on a regular basis.
And so should you. In fact, the American Veterinary Medical Association and the American Animal Hospital Association have teamed up to outline preventive health care guidelines for cats and dogs. Locally, several veterinary clinics have expanded their traditional offerings of core care — vaccinations, flea and tick protection and treatment of injuries or diseases — to spotlight preventive and wellness care for companion animals of all ages.
Let me cite some examples:
At Dr. Q’s Pet Vet clinic in Delray Beach, Dr. Kristin Quisenberry and her staff regard preventive care for young and healthy pets as one of their specialties. The goal is to catch any diseases in early stages to prevent serious illness and extend longevity in pets. (https://drqspet.vet)
At the Colonial Animal Hospital in Boynton Beach, Dr. Rob Martin and his team highly recommend that pets of all ages receive annual wellness exams that include diagnostic lab tests, dental evaluation, nutritional guidance and more. (https://colonialanimalhospital.com)
At the West Palm Animal Clinic, Dr. Michelle Durkee and her staff offer breed-specific wellness programs for pets. On the website, they proclaim, “We know that your pet is unique and so is its breed. A golden retriever is not a Yorkshire terrier and a Siamese cat is not a Florida coon cat.” (www.westpalmanimal.com)
VCA Simmons Animal Hospital in Greenacres offers senior wellness services, recognizing that pets age faster than we do. It also conducts new kitten and puppy prevention care, weight management programs and more. (www.vcahospitals.com/simmons)
Depending on the veterinary clinic, your pet may be evaluated for what’s known as a body conditioning score to determine if he is under, over or at a healthy weight for his breed. Sadly, nearly half of all cats and dogs in the United States are overweight or obese, according to surveys conducted by the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, headed by Dr. Ernie Ward. (https://petobesityprevention.org)
Excess weight can put pets more at risk for arthritis, heart conditions, chronic inflammation and even shortened lives. Although there are no so-called weight loss centers for animals, you can help your chubby pet by teaming with your veterinarian to create a specific diet/feeding/exercise plan to help him slim down in a safe, steady manner.
Age plays a key role in the frequency of these wellness exams. Puppies and kittens under age 1 need regular visits for necessary vaccinations and to monitor their growth. Dogs and cats between 1 and 6 generally just need annual wellness appointments if they do not display any medical issues. But when pets reach their senior years, veterinarians recommend booking wellness appointments every six months.
“Age is not a disease for pets,” says Ward. “It is essential for senior pets to engage in aerobic activity daily. Bodies are designed to move. Work with your veterinarian on pacing your pet’s activities.”
Show your gratitude for your pet’s unwavering devotion by getting into the habit of conducting weekly head-to-tail assessments at home.
I encourage students in my pet first aid and pet behavior classes to conduct these checks one-on-one in a room without any distraction.
By spending just 10 minutes once a week, you may find a hot spot on your pet’s thick coat. Or the ears may smell like dirty socks, possibly indicating an ear infection. Or you may notice that the coat is shedding more than normal or is oily.
Keep in mind that the skin is your pet’s largest organ and any signs of skin issues may be tied to an organ or body system that is not performing at its healthy level.
During a recent weekly at-home health check, I noticed wobbling front teeth in Kona, my terrier mix. My veterinarian surgically removed these teeth and performed a dental cleaning to remove built-up tartar on Kona’s back molars. She is back to flashing her happy — and healthy — smile.
These at-home checks reap other dividends: You are strengthening your bond with your pet and are conditioning your pet to accept being handled. That makes for less stress during a veterinary exam, a session with a pet groomer and pet care provided by professional pet sitters or pet boarding staffs.
I call that a win-win for pets and us.

Arden Moore is a best-selling 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.com. Learn more by visiting www.ardenmoore.com.

A statue of Mary, like the ones the Legion of Mary provides to families to improve their relationships with Jesus. BELOW: A traditional Catholic rosary from the Vatican and a shorter Anglican rosary. Photos provided

By Janis Fontaine

Everyone knows what day Jesus was born — or what day we agree to say he was born. But what about Mary, the woman who gave him earthly life after Christian faith says she conceived him through the Holy Spirit?
No one knows, but the official date to celebrate Mary — known to Catholics as the Virgin Mary and the Mother of God, and now a saint — is Sept. 8. Catholics celebrate it as a holy feast day (called the Feast of the Nativity of Mary) and for commemoration, especially if their church is named for the saint.
Mary is sometimes forgotten, like our own mothers, until someone is needed to play the role in the Nativity story. But there are others for whom Mary is the holiest and greatest of all saints known for her virtue, as important as their own mothers. Almost.
At 8 a.m. at St. Lucy Catholic Church in Highland Beach, before Father Brian Horgan says Mass at 8:30 a.m., worshippers gather to pray the rosary. These devout Catholics find comfort in the repetitious prayers — during the rosary, they repeat the Hail Mary prayer 53 times.
It’s a tradition that Horgan loves.
“I love my mother dearly,” the priest said. “The most important person in the family is the mother. The first miracle that Jesus performed was at the request of his mother. What son would refuse his mother?”
Lisa Vargas, who organizes the Legion of Mary at St. Vincent Ferrer Catholic Church in Delray Beach, says God prepared a special person to be “the queen of heaven and Earth. She was completely pure and free of original sin.”
The local Legion of Mary (the international organization began in Dublin, Ireland, in 1921, and now has branches worldwide) meets weekly. Each person commits to doing two hours of spiritual work each week, such as taking Communion to someone in the hospital.
One of the most popular works is organizing the traveling Mary statue. The Legion, which has more than two dozen regular members, has eight statues of the Virgin Mary that it lends to people who want to improve their relationships with Jesus, with the help of his mother. To some, it symbolizes their giving shelter to the holy family.
The Legion’s members deliver the statues — most are 33 inches tall and made out of resin, so are fairly lightweight — to different families every few months, but Vargas says they’ve become so popular, there’s a waiting list.
Vargas also teaches the rosary, about its four groups of “mysteries” — joyous, sorrowful, glorious and luminous events of Catholic faith — and what they mean, and how you move your fingers around the beads to keep count.
The rosary is not exclusively Catholic. There is an Anglican (Episcopal) rosary with fewer beads and different prayers. And prayer beads as a spiritual tool are common in many religions. These days, you’re more likely to see someone wearing rosary beads for fashion than for prayer.
The Catholic rosary is not complicated, but it is contemplative and it has measurable physical, emotional and spiritual benefits. Liz Kelly, in her book The Rosary: A Path to Prayer, wrote that the rosary “is sometimes seen as too simple and therefore as superficial.”
And it is simple, which makes it easy to learn. “The gentle repetition of its prayers makes it an excellent means to moving into deeper meditation,” she writes.
While other meditations may focus on breathing or nothingness or nature, the rosary’s focus is on the spiritual realm.
For Lisa Vargas, the Blessed Mother’s most precious gift is as an intercessor. She, like most mothers, has her son’s ear.
Father Dennis Gonzales at St. Vincent Ferrer prays the rosary every Friday night, a family tradition his grandparents taught him back in his native Philippines.
“I always ask her intercession to guide me and clear my way in whatever endeavor I have in life,” he said.
St. Lucy’s Horgan says that Jesus’ final act of love from the cross — making the disciple John the son of Mary and Mary his mother so that both would be cared for — shows how important his mother was to him.
It’s a lesson the children in St. Vincent Ferrer’s religious education program will study in October when they talk about Mary and the rosary.
“We want parents to practice the rosary with their children,” said Angelica Aguilera, director of faith formation. “It strengthens the children’s faith to see their parents doing it.”
Aguilera says that parents are diligent about enrolling their kids in religious education classes during the second grade so they can take part in First Communion (receiving Holy Communion for the first time), but attendance seems to drop off afterward. She’s looking for ways to get families involved, so she is hosting parents one week a month where they come to class with their children. “We want to make praying together as a family thing.”
Horgan thinks that teaching more reverence toward Mary might raise women’s status in society. No woman is disposable, even if that is what society says whenever it treats women as objects that you can replace, he says. He says step one is to use Mary as a model for positive change.
“I wonder where we’re going as a society,” he said. “More and more I think we’re stuck. We’re not going anywhere.”
But society still has potential, he said. “People are inherently good. We need to help each other be good people.”

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

The Rev. Dennis Gonzales was officially installed as pastor of St. Vincent Ferrer Catholic Church in Delray Beach by Bishop Gerald Barbarito on Sept. 11. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

By Janis Fontaine

Father Dennis Gonzales came to St. Vincent Ferrer Catholic Church in Delray Beach a year ago. On Sept. 11, he was formally installed by Bishop Gerald Barbarito at a heartfelt ceremony.
The bishop came down from the altar to speak to and praise the congregation for its faith, energy and devotion to family. Then he said of Gonzales, “He is a quiet man. A gentle man. A loving man. A man who has a heart with the Gospel as the center of his life. But central to him is not himself but Jesus Christ.”
The bishop has known Gonzales for years. Gonzales was educated at St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary in Boynton Beach and ordained in 2013, at age 39, at the Cathedral of St. Ignatius Loyola in Palm Beach Gardens by Barbarito.
Since his ordination, Gonzales served at St. Helen in Vero Beach for four years, and St. Ann in West Palm Beach for another four years before coming to Delray Beach.
Gonzales considers himself a healer first. He’s a registered nurse who worked in hospice care and has studied questions of medical ethics. Father Dennis believes most people are wounded and he wants to help heal hidden trauma.
Gonzales also spoke at the ceremony, in his typically quiet voice. He said he was humbled that Barbarito had handpicked him to lead St. Vincent Ferrer parish. He thanked his predecessor, Msgr. Tom Skindeleski, for all his hard work. Gonzales said, “I inherited a parish on sound footing with a capable and dedicated staff.”
The bishop stressed the importance of depending on one another, telling the congregation that Father Dennis “considers each and every one of you as central to his ministry and his priesthood.”
Gonzales invites everyone to celebrate Mass with him and his family at St. Vincent Ferrer Catholic Church at 7, 9 and 11 a.m. Sundays. A contemporary Mass is offered at 5:30 p.m.
St. Vincent is at 840 George Bush Blvd., Delray Beach. 561-276-6892; https://stvincentferrer.com.

Blessings of the animals
Each year local churches hold blessings of the animals around St. Francis of Assisi Feast Day on Oct. 4. St. Francis is the patron saint of animals.
Attend one of these blessings with well-behaved pets:
• St. Gregory’s Episcopal Church, 100 NE Mizner Blvd., Boca Raton. 11 a.m. Oct. 1. 561-395-8285; www.stgregorysepiscopal.org
• St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Children’s Garden, 188 S. Swinton Ave., Delray Beach. 4-5 p.m. Oct. 1. 561-276-4541; https://stpaulsdelray.org
• Church of Bethesda-by-the-Sea, 141 S. County Road, Palm Beach. 9 a.m. Oct. 2. 561-655-4554; https://bbts.org
• St. Joseph’s Episcopal, 3300 S. Seacrest Blvd., Boynton Beach. 3 p.m. Oct. 2. 561-732-3060; www.stjoesweb.org
• Unity of Delray Beach, 101 NW 22nd St. 10 a.m.-noon Oct. 15. 561-276-5796.

St. Gregory’s doings
St. Gregory’s Episcopal Church will host a Capital Campaign Concert for a Cause from 3-5 p.m. Oct. 22.
The church women’s annual bazaar will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 29, for you to get started on your holiday shopping or just for fun.
The church is at 100 NE Mizner Blvd., Boca Raton. 561-395-8285 or www.stgregorysepiscopal.org.

Fall festival at St. Joe’s
St. Joseph’s Episcopal Church will host a free Happy Fall Y’all carnival and coffee hour following services on Oct. 30. It includes games, prizes, crafts and refreshments. www.stjoesweb.org.

Yoga at St. Paul’s
Patti Daniell leads Gentle Yoga with a spiritual component at 6 p.m. Tuesdays at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 188 S. Swinton Ave., Delray Beach. Classes meet for eight weeks beginning Oct. 4. The cost is $75 for eight weeks or a $10 drop-in fee. A portion of the proceeds supports St. Paul’s. Call 561-573-9326.

The VOCES8 vocal ensemble will perform Oct. 22 at the Church of Bethesda-by-the-Sea in Palm Beach. Photo provided

The VOCES8 vocal ensemble will perform Oct. 22 at the Church of Bethesda-by-the-Sea in Palm Beach.
Photo provided

VOCES8 in concert
The Church of Bethesda-by-the-Sea presents VOCES8 in concert at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 22, at the church at 141 S. County Road, Palm Beach.
The vocal ensemble will sing “Lux aeterna,” which features choral music by Byrd, Casals, Elgar, Gibbons, Mendelssohn, Monteverdi, Palestrina, Parry, Paulus and Rachmaninoff. Tickets are $25. A champagne reception at 6:30 p.m. and premium seating is $200. 561-655-4554 or https://bbts.org.
Send religion news to Janis Fontaine at fontaine423@outlook.com.

By Christine Davis

Marcus Neuroscience Institute at Baptist Health’s Boca Raton Regional Hospital announced a new National Institutes of Health research study to assess a potential treatment for brain bleeds and inflammation from ruptured aneurysms.
About 30,000 people in the United States suffer brain aneurysm ruptures each year. A brain aneurysm rupture, which is fatal in about 40% of cases in the United States, is called a subarachnoid hemorrhage. This type of stroke results in a hemorrhage in the area between the brain and the skull, and bleeding may also extend into the brain itself.
Exploring these cases and identifying potential treatments to prevent further brain inflammation and bleeding are key topics of research being led by Khalid A. Hanafy, M.D. at Marcus Neuroscience Institute and professor of neurology at Florida Atlantic University’s Schmidt College of Medicine.
For more information, visit https://baptisthealth.net/baptist-health-news/nih-funded-research-targets-treatment-for-brain-bleeding-inflammation-from-ruptured-aneurysms/.

Delray Medical Center’s new electrophysiology and cardiac suite conducts minimally invasive procedures using the Azurion image-guided therapy system to treat arrhythmias including atrial fibrillation. Benefits of these catheter-based procedures include shorter hospital stays, reduced recovery time without the pain of a large incision and less visible surgical scarring.

The FAU Division of Research’s “Research in Action” virtual talk series on Zoom, at 1 p.m. on select Thursdays through Dec. 1, will host experts as they discuss their latest research and take part in Q&A sessions. Events include “Can AI Detect Early-stage Brain Disorders?” on Oct. 20 and “Meet the Creative Mind of James Bond” on Oct. 27. For more information and the Zoom link, visit www.fau.edu/research/community/research-in-action/ or email  fau.research@fau.edu.

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

Chair yoga is offered in the 55+ Wellness Series by Baptist Health South Florida through Mind Body Social. Photo provided

By Jan Engoren

All excuses not to exercise are off the table with the 55+ Wellness Series, offered by Baptist Health South Florida through the Baptist Health Foundation in partnership with Mind Body Social.
Founded by two Miami friends, Jose Antonio Hernandez and Luis A. Sanabria, the company partners with hospitals and corporations to offer free classes for people 55 and older.
Classes are held in the Boynton Beach Senior Center, Pompey Park in Delray Beach, Lake Worth Fitness Center and The Village of Palm Springs Community Room.
Virtual classes are also available.
The mission is to inspire well-being, increase awareness, and create and foster a wellness community, Hernandez says.
“We’re doing this for the people in these communities,” he explains. “Classes are free, accessible, and available with the goal of encouraging healthy behavior and fostering preventive care. Our classes inspire people to come together to find common ground. It helps us live our best life.”
The series began with an online-only offering last January and the in-person events kicked off in May with tai chi, fall flow yoga and chair yoga, Jazzercise, mindful movement, dance fitness, Zumba, gold Zumba and barre.
“Our partnership with Mind Body Social has allowed us to serve wellness-minded active adults throughout the Palm Beach County area,” said Lissette Egues, vice president with Baptist Health South Florida. “The physical and mental well-being of our community is the overall goal of the series, so we are pleased with the popularity of this free health and wellness programming made accessible to the residents we serve.”
Classes are taught by certified instructors. They include chair yoga instructor Mike Mitchell, 35, who teaches at the Boynton Beach, Delray Beach and Palm Springs senior centers; tai chi master Helen Carson, 59, who teaches at the Boynton Beach Senior Center, and Zumba teacher Carmen Ormaeche, 52, of Boynton Beach.
Carson’s classes were initially scheduled every other week, but people enjoyed them so much, they requested them weekly. Typically, she gets 12-15 people.
“I’m happy to see such a good turnout, especially in the middle of a Florida summer,” says Carson, originally from Finland and certified since 2017 through Paul Lam’s Tai Chi for Health Institute in Australia.
The main benefit of tai chi is for stress relief, she says. “It’s meditation or, we say, medication in motion.”
Mitchell, who also teaches Thai yoga and martial arts, says chair yoga is good for stress relief and is not only for seniors.
“Because you are not using your body weight, chair yoga is great for structure, even for advanced practitioners,” he says.
“It can help prevent injuries and helps build muscle memory that allows you to be more stable. We hope to prevent injuries before they happen by increasing balance and stability for our seniors.”
Mitchell, who runs a nonprofit called VegFest, an outdoor vegan festival held in Boca Raton and West Palm Beach, says that “it’s good to have a job where people feel good after your classes.”
“I love that I'm able to have a positive impact on the community,” he says.
The Peruvian-born Ormaeche says Zumba is all about balance — and the music.
On a good day, more than 50 seniors come out to exercise to her selection of salsa, meringue, reggaeton, cumbia and samba beats. The mother of two has a full-time job as a cash application specialist and teaches Zumba in Pompey Park as well as at LA Fitness and to low-income kids in Lake Worth Beach.
“I tell them, don’t be intimidated if you don’t know the moves — just try,” says Ormaeche, who took classes for three years before attending a Zumba convention, thus falling in love with the workout.
“I knew that this was part of me, a new way to stay fit and help others reach their goals for a better, healthy lifestyle,” she says.
Ormaeche coined the acronym SSOH for simple, strong, optimistic and happy to go with her practice.
“I’m very happy that with my passion for Zumba, I touched so many lives,” she says. “No matter how bad your day is, once you enter the room it’s a new world.”
One of her students, Boynton Beach resident Sandra Langlois, 62, a retired surgical technician, has been taking classes with Ormaeche for five years.
“I love the music,” she says. “Carmen keeps us moving. After a certain age, you have to keep moving.
“She’s easy to follow and one of the best instructors. We all love Carmen.”
For more information visit www.mindbodysocialevents.com and follow @mind_body_social on Instagram or @MindBodySocialEvents on Facebook. 

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

ABOVE: Cason United Methodist Church’s annual Pumpkin Patch is Oct. 15-31 outside the church in Delray Beach. Admission is free. The festival includes a car-to-car trick-or-treating day Oct. 30. BELOW: Boca Raton will have a Pumpkin Patch Festival at Mizner Park. Tickets must be purchased in advance for the Oct. 15-16 festival. Photos provided

By Janis Fontaine

Any day now, a tractor trailer filled with around 4,000 pumpkins will make its way from New Mexico to Cason United Methodist Church in Delray Beach for the annual Pumpkin Patch, which, after 26 years, is one of the church’s signature events.
“A lot of Methodist churches do pumpkin patches. It’s a fun family event,” organizer Sharon Bebout said.
She enjoys working the event, which requires a village of volunteers to pull off.
Tricia Schmidt, pastor David Schmidt’s wife, has been ordering the pumpkins from the same company for the last few years. Instead of paying for the orange orbs outright, the church pays a commission on their sales in November when all the figures are in. “Everybody makes money,” Schmidt said.
At the patch, pumpkin prices are determined by tape measure. After the church pays the grower, the rest of the proceeds from the event benefit Cason UMC’s mission and outreach programs.  
From minis to monsters, you’ll find a plethora of pumpkins. Some are picture-perfect while others are strangely shaped and colored. You’ll also find vibrant green and gold gourds. With prices beginning at $1, there’s a little burst of fall color for everyone.
“For some people, the uglier the pumpkin, the better,” Bebout said.
The pumpkin patch is open every day for about two weeks, thanks to the volunteers, which makes it convenient for busy families. This year’s dates are Oct. 15-31.
“It’s become a tradition for some families,” Tricia Schmidt said. They take photographs of their kids in costume in the same place each year, she said. “We have a Cinderella’s carriage the kids love to climb on that’s perfect for photos.” Especially if your kid wants to dress up as a princess or a prince.
It’s a lively time at Cason, which is planning two special events to go with the Pumpkin Patch:
The Family Fun Fest takes place from 10 a.m. to noon Oct. 22. This features crafts, story time, a fire truck and free ice cream. Come in costume. Everyone is welcomed and admission is free.
Trunk or Treat, an alternative to the door-to-door Halloween hunt for candy, takes place in the parking lot from 3:30-5:30 p.m. Oct. 30. Costumed kids go car-to-car to beg treats from the decorated trunks. Admission is free. Get a commemorative photo from Marco Photo Co. for an additional charge.
Once the Pumpkin Patch is over, “the leftover pumpkins get donated to zoos and pig farms for the animals to eat,” Bebout said.
Bebout is happy that Cason UMC is known for a great family event that brings hundreds of people to the church each year. “It’s truly a combined effort of love.”

Boca pumpkin festival
Plan for fall — and fun — to arrive in Boca Raton on Oct. 15 and 16 when the Boca Raton Pumpkin Patch Festival takes place in Mizner Park Amphitheater. This family friendly event features carnival rides, a pumpkin food court and fun for Halloween fans of all ages.

Highlights include:
• Pumpkins! With thousands to choose from, your personal favorite is waiting. The festival has specialty pumpkins too, like white orbs and the popular blue Cinderella pumpkin. Look for tiny pumpkins plus squashes and gourds of all sizes.
• Carnival rides: Kids older than 3 get a wristband for unlimited rides with admission. For the little kids, there are kiddie roller coasters and bumper cars.
• Fall photo vignettes: Capture a memory to share. You can photograph the family for your Halloween cards with plenty of time to share them before Halloween.
• Scarecrow Village: The scarecrows need to dress up in crazy outfits that will scare off the crows and they need your help.
• The cornstalk maze: This twisty, 10-foot-tall challenge is perfect for the little ones.
• Pumpkin decorating kits: Your family Picasso’s time to shine. Decorate your gourd on site or take the kit home ($3). Pumpkins must be purchased separately.
• The Pumpkin Food Court and Pumpkin Beer Bars: Refresh yourself between activities with sweet and savory pumpkin treats along with fair food favorites. Adults can sip pumpkin brews from Sam Adams and Angry Orchard.

If You Go

What: 27th annual Pumpkin Patch
When: Noon-7 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturdays and 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays, Oct. 15-31
Where: Cason United Methodist Church, 342 N. Swinton Ave., Delray Beach
Admission: Free
Info: www.casonumc.org or 561-276-5302

What: Boca Raton Pumpkin Patch Festival
Where: Mizner Park Amphitheater, 590 Plaza Real
When: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 15-16.
Admission: $25 for age 3 and older, includes a wristband for unlimited carnival rides and access to all attractions. Infants and toddlers younger than age 3 are admitted free.
Tickets/info: All tickets must be purchased in advance. No tickets at the gate. www.bocapumpkinpatch.com

ABOVE: More than 400 tons of limestone rock were dropped into 65 feet of water by Palm Beach County’s Environmental Resource Management to create a new reef called FWC Rocks 2022. RIGHT: The reef is located about 3,000 feet east of the Seagate Club, adjacent to 13 prefabricated modules called No Shoes Reef 4 that Environmental Resource Management placed in 2020. The exact location is LAT: 26.4528 and LONG: -80.0492. The limestone placement is partially paid for by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Artificial Reef Grant program. ERM to date has deployed more than 110,000 tons of concrete and 140​,000 tons of limestone boulders to create artificial reefs. Photos provided

  Lantana Mayor Robert Hagerty being sworn into office in 2021. Hagerty announced his resignation at Wednesday night's Town Council meeting after serving only 18 months of his three-year term. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

 By Mary Thurwachter

  In a surprise announcement Wednesday night following a vote to accept a tax increase, Lantana Mayor Robert Hagerty announced his resignation.

     Hagerty, 57, has served since March 2021 after defeating 21-year incumbent Mayor Dave Stewart. Hagerty, a former police officer, spent most of his career working in Lantana.

      “I had no intention of going back to work when I retired [from the Police Department], and here I am working on a second career,” Hagerty said. The new job in construction means relocating to Orlando, something he plans to do by Oct. 10. He said he brought the topic up because the next town meeting is Oct. 24, after he will have left Lantana.

      He thanked town staff, fellow council members and residents for their support and said the decision to leave came “after a lot of thought and discomfort” on his part.

      Unlike previous budget meetings and hearings this year, where residents have been largely vocal about their distaste for raising taxes, the Sept. 21 meeting was sparsely attended.

     “I wish more people were here to have said this to,” Hagerty said. “I thank everybody in attendance tonight.”

       Reached by phone after the meeting, Vice Mayor Karen Lythgoe said Hagerty’s announcement came as “a big surprise” that night, although she had expected it for a while. “I just figured the work was getting in his way and he was getting torn both ways. I expected it before now and as time had gone on, I thought well, he’s just going to keep going to the end of his term,” she said.

      Lythgoe is acting mayor temporarily, she said. “The seat will go on the ballot in March, when my seat is up also.” She hasn’t decided if she will run to complete the unfinished mayoral term or to retain her council seat. She can’t run for both.

      Lythgoe has expressed interest in becoming mayor one day but says she hasn’t decided when to do that — now, or after completing another term should she be reelected.

      “Max [Lohman, the town attorney] will give us the details [of what comes next according to the town charter] at our next meeting,” she said.

      Hagerty didn’t respond to The Coastal Star’s request for further comment. He has come under fire for missing multiple meetings since his tenure began in 2021. Mayoral terms are for three years in Lantana, as are terms for council members.

Winds from the east this summer have pushed a nearly constant supply of sargassum onto the beach, challenging beachgoers like Debby Belmonte of Ocean Ridge. Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star 

Seasonal inundation is here to stay, scientists say

By Larry Barszewski

Rotting seaweed piles along South Florida’s coast can ruin a perfectly good day at the beach and foul the breeze reaching nearby homes and condos. At night, large sargassum wracks can ensnare sea turtle hatchlings struggling to reach the ocean.
But out at sea, the sargassum is a floating buffet and camouflage for baby sea turtles and other marine species, providing sustenance and protection from predators. And on shore, it can trap sand and fortify eroding coastlines. It can even be recycled into fertilizer.
Good or bad, benefit or nuisance, the seasonal inundation on South Palm Beach County beaches is here to stay, scientists say.
“In the past seven years, starting from 2015, the waters around Southeast Florida experienced way more sargassum than before 2015. This is likely going to continue in future years,” said Professor Chuanmin Hu, an optical oceanographer at the University of South Florida in Tampa.
It’s not only a local issue. Florida Atlantic University researchers have concluded the large increases in sargassum in the tropical Atlantic Ocean, forming the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt, are fed by vast amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus pouring into the ocean from the Amazon, Congo and Mississippi rivers, often resulting from deforestation and the rise of agriculture.
The nutrients also are carried in the wind on grains of sand from the Sahara Desert and from biomass burning of vegetation in Africa, according to a 2021 FAU study.
“We saw very clearly in our data that these plants respond to increasing nitrate and phosphate, particularly when they’re combined together,” said the study’s lead author, FAU Professor Brian Lapointe of the Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute. The whole North Atlantic basin is being affected by major river plumes and atmospheric deposits, he said.
The brown sargassum reaching Palm Beach County passes through the Caribbean Sea first, where significant increases have been reported since 2011, leading to “mountains” of sargassum landing on island beaches there, Hu said. Some of the sargassum from the Caribbean travels to the Gulf of Mexico, the Florida Straits and north along the Gulf Stream — where a strong easterly wind and local tidal conditions can send it to Florida shores, Hu says.
“The past few years represents a new normal for future years, but every year will fluctuate. It could be higher or lower, but it will never reach the level we see in the Caribbean Sea,” Hu said of sargassum’s impact on the Southeast Florida coastline. “An individual beach may have a completely different story. … An individual beach may have more sargassum, even major sargassum, simply because of winds and tides. That’s a huge variable.”

A swath of sargassum 20 feet wide and knee-deep coats the beach south of the Boca Raton Inlet on Aug. 26. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

Tides of seaweed
Clayton Peart experiences the impact in south Palm Beach County, where the Gulf Stream’s proximity to land is at its closest, on almost a daily basis. His family owns Universal Beach Services, a Delray Beach company that contracts with condos and homeowners to clean the beaches in front of their properties.
One thing that has drawn Peart’s attention as he cleans beaches this year is just the magnitude of the large patches of sargassum offshore.
“It seems like islands of seaweed washing in,” Peart said. The frequency of sargassum landing on the beaches rose dramatically this year, he said.
“The normal conditions are three weeks off and then two or three days of bad seaweed,” Peart said. This year, the situation flipped, he said: “The seaweed is bad for two or three weeks, and then there’s a break for three days.”
Fortunately, the sargassum amounts are lessening as fall approaches. Heavy inundations should not be seen again until the spring. But even that is a change from the past.
Hu said that although 2022 doesn’t appear to have dumped the most sargassum on the Florida coast, the sargassum presence expanded, showing up as early as April, in the heart of tourist season, when the beaches are most crowded.
“The amount of sargassum is not the highest we’ve seen, but the duration is the longest,” Hu said. “Usually, the Southeast Florida coast did not experience large amounts of sargassum except in June and July, you know, two months, or sometimes May to June.”
The sargassum piles are particularly noticeable on the south side of jetties at the Lake Worth Inlet, the Boynton Inlet and the Boca Inlet, trapped after being pushed there by southeasterly winds.
“We have seen massive amounts, for example, accumulate on the south jetty at Fort Pierce Inlet, very similar to what has happened in the town of Palm Beach this summer. It can catch on the jetties, right, and accumulate and begin to rot and stink,” Lapointe said. “Those areas are becoming problematic, releasing a lot of toxic hydrogen sulfide gas that is a health issue at very low concentrations.”

Hatchling obstacle
The heaviest time for the sargassum reaching south Palm Beach County overlaps the sea turtle nesting season, posing potential problems for hatchling turtles.
A study by a Florida Atlantic University graduate student published in the Journal of Coastal Research this year said sargassum accumulations in 2020 “may have caused as much as a 22% decline in net hatchling production in Boca Raton.”
The study by Joshua P. Schiariti and Michael Salmon, an FAU professor, at one point looked at 101 hatchlings trying to reach the ocean and found decreasing levels of success as the height of the sargassum barriers increased. None of 16 hatchlings coming upon a sargassum wrack that was a foot or more high was able to cross it, the study reported.
Although it is a potential threat to hatchlings, the sargassum hasn’t stopped near records of loggerheads and other nesting sea turtles from coming ashore this year to lay their eggs. “They plow right through it getting to the beach,” said David Anderson, the sea turtle conservation coordinator at Gumbo Limbo Nature Center in Boca Raton.
“The biggest impact we have seen, because of the large amounts of sargassum, is hatchlings struggling to get to the high tide line,” Anderson said. “We have a lot of people wave us down on the beach where hatchlings are stuck in the sargassum.”
City and private crews hired to clean the beaches and bury the sargassum aren’t allowed to work until crews surveying the beach for turtle nests and wayward hatchlings give an all-clear. Peart said in early August that there were a couple of weeks when he had lengthy delays in his morning work schedule because of heightened concern about trapped hatchlings.
“The turtle people were requesting I come to work later, to make sure all the hatchlings were out,” Peart said. That meant instead of cleaning the beaches between sunrise and mid-morning, he couldn’t get started sometimes until closer to lunchtime, he said.

The county has a hands-off policy for sargassum at its parks such as Ocean Inlet (above). Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

Can’t you smell that smell?
Hatchlings aren’t the only ones affected by the decomposing sargassum — it bothers people, too.
Sargassum, by itself, isn’t toxic like red tide, an algal bloom that has been a particular problem on Florida’s Gulf Coast, Hu said. However, the hydrogen sulfide it emits while decaying can cause health issues for people breathing it in.
“Under Florida sunshine, after a couple of days, the sargassum plant gets rotten and smells very bad, like a rotten egg,” Hu said, especially when it’s in huge amounts. “It’s not good, maybe it’s harmful to your health, especially if you have breathing problems, asthma.”
And the sheer volume of the sargassum at sea is turning its presence from a vibrant living organism into a toxic “dead zone,” according to Lapointe’s study published in Nature Communications. It suggested the increased nitrogen availability is turning the critical nursery habitat for marine life into harmful algal blooms having severe impacts on coastal ecosystems and human health.

Keeping beaches clean
To handle the wrack locally, most beach cleaning in south Palm Beach County is done by private contractors because many towns don’t have a public beach to clean. The larger cities, including Boca Raton and Delray Beach, take care of their own public beaches.
Unlike Fort Lauderdale, which collects and composts its sargassum for use as a soil supplement, the private contractors and local communities here generally bury the seaweed at the beach. “I incorporate it into the dune system,” Peart said.
They must follow strict rules during the turtle nesting season, which runs from March through October, to ensure protection of sea turtle nests and hatchlings.
“We have two teams using a process where groundskeepers in a utility vehicle move forward to clear large debris and trash from the seaweed. As the groundskeepers advance, a tractor is brought in behind to dig a hole where needed and seaweed is pushed into the hole and buried,” Boca Raton spokeswoman Anne Marie Connolly said in an email to The Coastal Star.
“Cleaning is also limited to the last high tide line and our tractors are not permitted to clean the upper beach or dune line,” Connolly said. “The beach is cleaned daily, though at times we are hindered by an overwhelming amount of seaweed that is occasionally deposited during the change in tides or an occasional equipment issue.”
Palm Beach County takes a hands-off approach to the sargassum, because of the beneficial impacts it can have on beaches. That policy is in effect at county-owned beaches, including Ocean Inlet Park, Gulfstream Park, Hammock Park and South Inlet Park in South County.
“The county’s standard practice is to leave accumulation in place as it represents a critical part of the beach ecosystem providing food and shelter for wildlife, and nutrients and stability to sensitive dune habitat,” Andy Studt, the county’s program director for coastal resources management, said in an email to The Coastal Star.
“If necessary, Parks staff will work to clear open pathways through the sand down to the water for beachgoers at county-owned parks,” Studt said.

Adrian Guarniere, 17, a senior at Boca Raton High, wades through dense, floating sargassum on his way back to the beach on Aug. 26. He’d been fishing with a friend at South Beach Park. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

The Florida Board of Pharmacy has rules meant to ensure home-delivered medicines arrive unadulterated, but Miriam Sivak of Boynton Beach said a box of her prescriptions — and the cooling pads inside — were hot to the touch. The shipping box (lower right) was clearly marked as perishable. She chose not to take the medication after getting conflicting advice from the pharmacy rep and manufacturer. Photos by Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

Related story: Along the Coast: Pros and cons of prescriptions by mail or delivery

Medication hot to the touch shows risks of booming business

By Charles Elmore

Like millions of Americans, Miriam Sivak agreed to receive prescription medicine by delivery to her Boynton Beach home — but the arrival of a package on a hot June day filled her with anxiety.
The medicine, an infusion treatment for an immune condition, was supposed to be kept at a controlled temperature. But it arrived late and hot to the touch, she said. So were the cooling packs in the container.
Her reaction? “Stunned,” said Sivak, 80.
Floridians get at least $8 billion worth of prescriptions delivered, sometimes steered to do so by financial incentives in their health plans or a desire to cut down on trips outside the home.
While the practice can offer convenience, it also has stirred concerns. These include lost, late or damaged shipments, questions about the consistency of delivery safeguards and regulatory oversight, and — especially in a state like Florida — exposure to extreme temperatures.
In a world where more and more stuff gets delivered, consumers learn to factor in mishaps like a chip in a porcelain figurine or plants that wither. Not ideal, but it happens.
It’s harder to dismiss with a shrug, though, when it’s a prescription medicine — where a person’s life and health may be at stake.
Sivak began making worried calls to the pharmacy, the drug manufacturer and anyone else who could advise her. A pharmacy representative assured her the medicine was fine, as it could withstand a certain number of days up to 104 degrees, or even for shorter periods up to 124 degrees, she said. Others advised caution.
She chose not to take the medicine.
“The manufacturer told me there was no way we could know how hot that medication got,” she said.
A federal agency once measured temperatures up to 136 degrees inside mailboxes exposed to direct sun in St. Louis. Heat exceeding 150 degrees has been reported in the back of commercial delivery vans without air conditioning in Florida and Arizona.
But typical packages don’t arrive with any way to measure how hot the contents got along the way.
Packages arriving hot, late or both can put the customer in a bind.
“We’ve had multiple situations where people bring stuff in, asking if it’s still safe to use,” said Tom Craig, who co-owns Gulfstream Pharmacy in Briny Breezes with his wife, Erin Craig, a pharmacist.
This has happened with prescription eye drops, for example, he said.
In some cases, the trouble is an interruption in supply because of a delivery tie-up.
“We’ve had to call a doctor many times and ask for a three-day supply because the mail order was late,” he said.
Another potential risk: There has been a rash of thefts from mailboxes in local municipalities in recent months, in some cases involving the fraudulent altering of checks.
To date, Ocean Ridge Police Chief Richard Jones said he is not aware of anyone stealing prescription drugs. Several employees in his department get prescription drugs sent to the office, he noted.
At UPS, the world’s largest package delivery company, many warehouses and trucks operate without air conditioning. Union officials have cited cases of drivers being hospitalized for heat illness and asked for greater protection as a contract comes up for renewal next year, published reports show.
As for medicine delivery, UPS spokeswoman Christina Repassy said the company “works with customers to ensure they have the proper packaging” with “gels, dry ice, etc., to maintain the required temperature.”
Customers such as pharmacies sending medication can “develop solutions on their own” or work with UPS to “design packaging that can ensure needed temperature throughout transport and delivery,” she said.

Pandemic boosted business
Home delivery of prescriptions has existed in one form or another for decades, but the coronavirus provided a push factor to expand it on a wide range of medicines.
Florida had close to 10 million prescriptions filled by mail in 2019, according to data cited by the Kaiser Family Foundation. That was nearly equivalent to one delivery for every two residents, though of course any given recipient might be getting multiple prescriptions filled that way in the course of a year.
Nationally, 1 in 6 enrollees in Medicare Part D, the prescription drug benefit, used mail order for at least one prescription. That suggests plenty of deliveries in Palm Beach County, where nearly a quarter of the residents are 65 or older, in addition to younger folks who might get medicines by mail.
The pandemic only accelerated the trend, as some patients were subjected to stay-at-home orders or just wanted to limit face-to-face interactions to stay safe. In the first seven months of 2020, use of mail order increased up to 20% over 2019 levels, Kaiser found.
But 2020 also brought reminders of potential tangles with mail delivery. Service cutbacks at the U.S. Postal Service, some later postponed or modified, produced warnings in congressional hearings about delays in everything from mailed ballots to prescriptions. 
And it became increasingly clear the delivery trend was colliding with weather extremes. A Nevada woman interviewed by NBC said her insurance company told her she could get migraine medication by mail order for about $50 a month, or pay out of pocket at around $600 a dose, she said. The injectable medicine was supposed to be kept refrigerated, but she said it arrived a day late, with the ice packs melted, sitting in 94-degree evening heat on her stoop.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services do not regulate or monitor delivery services through Part D, in which a private insurer may partner with the government to deliver medicine, a CMS spokeswoman said.
“It is important to note that pharmacies must comply with safety requirements pertaining to handling medications when sending them through the mail under the U.S. Food & Drug Administration and state law,” the CMS spokeswoman said. “If there are temperature requirements of certain medications, they must be sent through delivery services that can provide those requirements or they cannot be sent through the mail at all.”
An FDA spokeswoman said the agency oversees the approval and manufacture of prescription drugs, but she referred questions about delivery to state boards of pharmacy.
The Florida Board of Pharmacy enforces rules that pharmacies “must have and follow policies and procedures to ensure medicinal drugs are not adulterated,” a Florida Department of Health spokesperson said.
For consumers concerned about, say, the shipping or handling of drugs, there is an online portal to file complaints (https://mqa-flhealthcomplaint.doh.state.fl.us/).
Records show 99 administrative and disciplinary actions in 2022 as of Aug. 24, after 178 in 2021, 255 in 2020 and 211 in 2019. Penalties can include fines or revocation of licenses to operate in Florida for pharmacies based here or in other states. But the state database offers no way to search for cases involving delivery problems in particular.
A 2020 case alleged a Boca Raton pharmacist shipped misbranded compounded drug products out of state. A settlement was reached, involving a fine of more than $1,500, records show.

Complaints hard to gauge
The FDA received 2.3 million reports of “adverse events” associated with drugs and therapeutic biologic products in 2021, up from 2.2 million the year before, a government database shows. The reports do not prove a given drug caused a reported symptom, which can range from a headache to life-threatening conditions, disclaimers note. 
Relatively few cases deal with the delivery of drugs, at least as an identified category. Complaints the FDA classified as a “manufacturing product shipping issue” rose to 68 in 2021 from 64 in 2020, after 124 in 2019, records show.
Then again, a consumer might not have an adverse reaction to report if she chooses not to take a medicine that arrives hot to the touch or otherwise in question.
Even if a consumer took a drug and suspected it may not have been handled properly, proving that it caused adverse health effects can be difficult. The drug itself may have been consumed and unavailable for testing. In addition, many consumers are not sure where to direct a complaint — to the delivery company, the issuing pharmacy, the insurance company? Not all of those routes would necessarily lead to a report registering in an FDA database.
The Package Shippers Association, whose members include UPS, FedEx and others, did not respond to questions for this story.
Neither did AHIP, formerly known as America’s Health Insurance Plans, whose members include Aetna, CVS Health, Cigna and other large health insurers.
But Sivak believes the issue should not be ignored. She remembers the feeling, during some of her phone conversations, that “they tried to browbeat me, saying it’s perfectly fine.”
She wonders how many other people find themselves wondering what to do when an arriving package produces a queasy feeling.
“I could have gotten seriously hurt,” she said. “There’s no oversight and we need oversight.”