This rendering of the proposed downtown government campus highlights the landscape in front of the new City Hall (upper right). The developer has reduced the project’s density and boosted recreational and green space. Rendering provided

By Mary Hladky

The joint venture of Terra and Frisbie Group that will redevelop Boca Raton’s downtown government campus has reduced the project’s density and increased the amount of recreational and green space as it responds to residents’ objections to its original proposal.

Terra/Frisbie’s winning plan was the least dense of four presented to the city in January, but residents wanted even less.

“We have worked very hard to incorporate the vast majority of the feedback we have received,” Frisbie Group co-managing partner Rob Frisbie told the City Council on May 27.

The developers have removed 217 residential units, reducing the total to 912 by eliminating one apartment building and several townhomes.

Instead, they have added a second office building that will be located adjacent to the Brightline station, bringing to 350,000 the project’s total office square footage.

They also have boosted the recreational space by 23% which will be spread over nearly nine acres of the 30-acre campus.

Bicycle lanes will be buffered to make riding safer, and roads will be designed to keep traffic speeds slow.

Terra/Frisbie also has taken pains to ease tensions over the city’s desire to relocate sports and recreation facilities on the government campus.

It has proposed three options that would include building as many as eight tennis courts, indoor pickleball and basketball courts, fitness room and locker rooms and shower.

But this remains a work in progress, with no firm plan agreed to yet.

Tennis enthusiasts are anxious to preserve the 10 clay courts now on the downtown campus, but they are unlikely to get their wish.

Council members are leaning toward having four clay courts on the downtown campus, and adding six clay courts to the existing two hard courts at Meadows Park, which is about one mile away from the campus.

Terra/Frisbie submitted its new interim master plan on May 12, and City Council members were asked to provide city staff and Terra/Frisbie direction on what passed muster and what should be changed.

Council members indicated they liked the plans, but did not give clear input on what should be altered. They are scheduled to approve the interim master plan on June 10.

Deputy Mayor Fran Nachlas was the only one advocating to keep 10 tennis courts on the downtown campus.

Council member Andy Thomson renewed his previous objection that the project is too dense and is being pushed ahead too quickly.

He also said fundamental issues have not been addressed, such as whether a public-private partnership with Terra/Frisbie is in the best interests of the city.

“I am not sure we have enough information to approve a plan like this,” he said.

No other council member expressed agreement with Thomson’s concerns.

Instead, they focused on details, agreeing that the new community center, which will replace the current outdated one, does not need an indoor pickleball court, showers and locker rooms or a fitness center.

“We are continuing to evolve,” said Mayor Scott Singer. “We will continue to congeal and form.” 

Homeless man given life sentence for killing father — A homeless man was convicted of killing his father in a parking garage at the intersection of State Road A1A and East Palmetto Park Road in Boca Raton.

Jared Charles Noiman, 31, stabbed and strangled Jay Noiman, who was 59, in a since-demolished parking garage at 1 S. Ocean Blvd. on Feb. 3, 2020. The son has a history of mental illness, drug abuse and violent outbursts, but last year was deemed competent to stand trial.

He was convicted of first-degree murder on May 15.

Palm Beach County Circuit Judge James Nutt sentenced Noiman to life in prison on June 3.

The son confessed his crime to Boca Raton detectives, his arrest report stated. Noiman told police that he and his father were homeless and were spending the night in the garage.

Louie Bossi’s repairs fire damage — The popular Louie Bossi’s Ristorante Bar Pizzeria downtown remained closed seven weeks after a kitchen fire sent diners and employees scurrying for safety.

“We are temporarily closed at this time,” a telephone recording advises callers.

Inside, framing for new walls in the dining area awaits drywall.

Big Time Restaurant Group, owner of the Italian eatery, filed for a building permit from Boca Raton on April 17, the day after the fire, estimating the damage at $55,000.

The restaurant is on the ground floor of the Hyatt Place hotel, at East Palmetto Park Road and Federal Highway. Louie Bossi’s has been a mainstay at that corner since 2017.

— Steve Plunkett

Boca Raton High School Naval Junior ROTC cadets perform a flag-folding ceremony in honor of deceased U.S. military members. The annual event typically draws hundreds of people, including participants from city police and fire departments. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

Airport revenue has increased in 2025 because visits by President Donald Trump to Mar-a-Lago have diverted more traffic to Boca Raton (above). Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

By Rich Pollack

President Donald Trump’s nine visits to Mar-a-Lago in the first four months of 2025 may have been disruptive to some — and costly to Palm Beach County — but they turned out to be good news for the Boca Raton Airport.

With temporary flight restrictions in place during the 31 days of presidential visits, most private jets and small aircraft were prohibited from taking off or landing within a 10-mile radius of Palm Beach, with many choosing to come to the Boca Raton Airport instead.

That led to 3,600 more takeoffs and landings from January to April than in the first four months of 2024, which then translated into an increase of about $162,000 in revenue from the previous year.

It’s also about $362,000 more than from the same time period in 2019 during President Trump’s first term, when he made only six visits to Mar-a-Lago.

“It’s wonderful to have additional revenue to offset the increasing cost of operating and maintaining the airport without having to pass that on to our tenants,” said Clara Bennett, executive director of the Boca Raton Airport Authority.

In all, flight operations at the airport brought in $977,161, compared to $815,306 during the same time period last year, or about 20% more.

The airport gets revenue from flight operations through a percentage of money collected from fuel sold by the two fixed-based operators at the airport and through U.S. Customs user fees.

In all, there were 22,000 flight operations in the first four months of 2025, compared to 18,410 in 2024.

The 2024 numbers include flight training and touch-and-go operations, which were not permitted during the temporary flight restriction periods.

Flight restrictions also affected the Palm Beach County-operated airport in Lantana, which is within the 10-mile radius of Mar-a-Lago. That factored into the increase of traffic at Boca Raton Airport as some plane owners moved their aircraft to Boca Raton temporarily.

Revenue from flight operations makes up about 23% of the Airport Authority’s overall $8.2 million budget, with the vast majority of revenue coming from lease fees collected from businesses operating on airport property.

The increase in revenue since 2019, Bennett says, represents a rise in fuel costs as well as the increase in flight operations.

One of the busiest times at the airport this year came in March when there were four presidential weekend visits resulting in about 1,900 flight operations.

The flight restrictions also resulted in a change in flight patterns with planes being required to avoid flying over Palm Beach. That led to planes going over areas that they don’t usually, resulting in some calls to the airport from residents whose concerns were minimized once they learned what was behind the change.

Despite the increase in air traffic and the need for space to park additional aircraft, Bennett said the airport was able to operate with minimal disruptions.

That, she said, was the result of lessons learned from visits during Trump’s first term.

“Better planning and better communication resulted in fewer surprises,” she said.

During Trump’s previous visits, there were times when the airport was unable to accept planes coming in because of a lack of space. Part of that was due to bad weather that delayed planes from taking off, leaving no room for arrivals.

This time around, Bennett said, the airport worked closely with air traffic controllers, including talking to those at the highest level even before the inauguration to manage the flow of aircraft coming into Boca Raton Airport.

She said that the airport also coordinated with the fixed-based operators, which provide parking space and a variety of other services to aircraft on the ground, to ensure space would be available before reservations were accepted.

“It went a lot more smoothly,” Bennett said.

Security for presidential visits has been estimated to cost Palm Beach County $240,000 each day, money that county leaders hope will be at least partially reimbursed.

By Rich Pollack

Just when it looked like Palm Beach County was on track to finally build a controversial park in Highland Beach, the question of whether to continue with plans for Milani Park — and if so, how many parking spaces to put in it — has once again blown up at a County Commission meeting.

County commissioners on June 3 heard an impassioned plea to reduce parking from 100 spaces to just 25 from Cam Milani, whose family sold the land for the park to the county almost 40 years ago. Milani now doesn’t want the park, changing the family’s long-held position, and suggested the reduced parking as a compromise.

That request spurred a tense discussion among county commissioners, with some apparently sympathetic to Milani and to many residents of nearby condos, while Commissioner Marci Woodward, who represents the area, pushed back. She warned that taking a step backward as plans for the park progress would be a mistake.

Commissioner Joel Flores, who attended a meeting in early April where residents spoke out against the park and said he was originally in favor of 100 parking spaces, said he changed his position after the meeting.

“We’re building a park that nobody wants,” he said.

County staff members and Woodward responded, saying that the park would serve residents from throughout the county, not just Highland Beach. Commissioners were also told that there were people at the meeting Flores attended who supported the park but were too intimidated to speak out.

The 100 parking spaces, according to Assistant County Administrator Isami Ayala-Collazo, are required under a 2010 settlement agreement with the town that followed a lengthy legal battle. To go to 25 parking spaces would require reopening the settlement agreement, she said.

Woodward said that ceasing plans for the park could clear the way for development of townhouses, with the possibility that the Milani family would build them, on a portion of the 5.6-acre parcel that straddles State Road A1A. Part of the property includes a Native American burial ground and has additional historical significance, Woodward said.

“I would caution this board against doing anything that would jeopardize this park moving forward,” she said.

In the end, the commission instructed staff to meet with each commissioner individually to provide additional information.

While debate continues at the county level, Highland Beach town leaders are going on record and making it clear that they believe more needs to be done to ensure the safety of pedestrians traversing A1A as they go to and from a parking lot.

“I’m concerned with the traffic flow of people crossing with 100 cars coming and going in and out of the park,” Town Commissioner Jason Chudnofsky said during a commission meeting last month. “It isn’t about Milani Park coming in, that’s a given.”

Chudnofsky’s uneasiness and that of many residents was echoed in a letter Town Manager Marshall Labadie sent to County Administrator Verdenia Baker.

“As a community, we are deeply concerned that the development of Milani Park will lead to additional conflicts between pedestrians and vehicles — an outcome no one wants,” Labadie wrote.

The town manager wrote that Highland Beach had commissioned a review of a traffic study that was done by the county, and that review concluded that the analysis performed was not adequate to assess the “real-world traffic and pedestrian safety risks.”

In their assessment, the engineers hired by the town recommended that three more studies be done: a spot speed study, a study of how much time elapses between each car, and a count of non-motorized activity — pedestrian and bicycle.

Labadie urged the county to conduct those studies.

“It is essential that we do everything possible to ensure that this park — while intended to be a countywide asset — does not compromise the safety of those who use it or live nearby,” he wrote.

Ayala-Collazo said a reply is coming and will include a plan to address the town’s recommendations.

Ayala-Collazo said that the county is taking several steps to ensure the safety of pedestrians and motorists in the area and is considering harnessing some of the latest technology available.

Design plans for the area include a crosswalk. The design team is taking steps to ensure pedestrians use that crosswalk by including landscaping and low-profile fencing or railings.

“These measures are intended to discourage mid-block crossings and reinforce intuitive, predictable pedestrian movement,” she said.

Ayala-Collazo said that there have been productive meetings with Florida Department of Transportation representatives who must sign off on any changes affecting traffic on A1A.

She said that while a full traffic light is not likely, pedestrian-activated signals like those in Boca Raton and Highland Beach are being considered. The county’s design team is also looking into the feasibility of embedded crosswalk lighting and motion-triggered pedestrian detection.

Also being considered are raised medians to provide pedestrian refuge, sidewalks that extend into the roadway to shorten the crossing distance, as well as high-visibility crosswalk materials and signage. 

By Rich Pollack

A full year after becoming the county’s first new fire department in 30 years, Highland Beach Fire Rescue has numbers showing that it matched the expectations of some while exceeding the expectations of others, especially those who predicted failure.

“Our service delivery is unrivaled and our financial expectations are being met,” said Town Manager Marshall Labadie. “We hear good things about our fire department on a weekly basis.”

Since it began in May 2024, Highland Beach Fire Rescue had responded to just over 900 calls during the full year ending April 30. That works out to about 2.5 calls per day, although the numbers are higher during the season.

“We average about four or five calls in the winter months,” said Fire Rescue Chief Glenn Joseph. “We anticipate about 1,000 calls in a full calendar year.”

The number of calls in a day can be unpredictable, he said, with the most calls in a day — nine — coming during one 24-hour shift in July.

A number that stands out is the department’s average response time, which was just above 4 minutes in the first four months of this year and which has been far below 5 minutes consistently.

“It’s a great response time,” Joseph said.

One of the factors contributing to that response time is the small size of the town — just over 3 miles long — along with the fact that the town’s new fire station is centrally located.

Joseph said that the department has put a focus on getting the fire rescue personnel on a truck and out of the station within a minute of being dispatched. The average dispatch to en route time was about 40 seconds during the first four months of this year and a little longer from May to December last year.

“We encourage people to not delay getting out of the station,” Joseph said.

It’s not surprising that most of the calls Highland Beach Fire Rescue handles are medical related.

More than half of the calls, a little under 530, were medical calls excluding motor vehicle accidents with injuries. Falls make up a large portion of those calls.

One area where the department saw a significant drop in calls from the first eight months of operation to the last four was in the number of false alarms.

From May to December, fire rescue responded to 45 false alarms, or about 51/2 calls per month. In January through April of this year that number dropped to just 14.

Joseph credited the department’s risk reduction team for the decrease through its inspections of buildings and its comprehensive approach to making sure all fire safety equipment is functioning properly.

The chief said that lowering the number of false alarms reduces the chance of an accident — responding vehicles go with lights and siren — which could injure fire rescue personnel on their way to a call as well as residents.

He said too many false alarm calls could lead to residents becoming complacent and starting to disregard the alarms.

Highland Beach’s new fire department opened on May 1, 2024, in a newly constructed station, ending a 30-year partnership with Delray Beach providing staffing for the town’s fire station.

Labadie said that the last full year that Delray Beach provided the service, the city charged the town about $5.4 million. Running the station now costs Highland Beach about $5.7 million a year, but Labadie said comparing the two is difficult because there’s no way of knowing if Delray Beach’s charge would escalate and if so, how much that would have been.

He also pointed out that Highland Beach now staffs the station with seven firefighter/paramedics on a shift while Delray Beach provided five on a 24-hour shift. Highland Beach now has three personnel on the rescue truck and can fully staff two rescue units if there are simultaneous calls.

“We believe we’re providing better service at a lower cost,” the town manager said. 

By Mary Hladky

Deputy Mayor Fran Nachlas and City Council member Andy Thomson are facing off to become Boca Raton’s next mayor in 2026, replacing Scott Singer, who is prevented by term limits from seeking reelection.

Former Council member Robert Weinroth filed on April 25 to run for Thomson’s Seat D. Weinroth won a special election to the council in 2014 and then a three-year term without opposition in 2015. He was elected to the Palm Beach County Commission in 2018 and became county mayor.

After he lost reelection in 2022, he filed to run for the Palm Beach County School Board, but withdrew from the race and ran unsuccessfully for Congress in 2024 in the Republican primary,

Andy Thomson
Thomson, who filed to run on April 2, was first elected to office in a 2018 special election and was reelected with no opposition in 2020.

He resigned from the nonpartisan council in 2022 to pursue an unsuccessful candidacy as a Democrat for the Florida House District 91 seat now held by Peggy Gossett-Seidman, R-Boca Raton. He reclaimed his council seat last year, capturing 62.5% of the vote to defeat opponent Brian Stenberg.

Thomson’s three-year council term ends in 2027, but Florida law requires him to resign before the candidate qualifying period this November for the city election the following March, though the resignation can be effective as of March 31, 2026, when he or someone else would take office.

Thomson, a Georgia Tech graduate and former football player, earned his law degree from the University of Miami and practices business law at Baritz Colman Richan & Harris in Boca Raton.

“I enjoyed immensely the opportunity to be on the City Council for over five years,” he said. “I have shown myself to be a rational decision-maker and someone who has the future of Boca in mind. What I want most of all is to move the city in the right direction.”

Fran Nachlas
Nachlas, a retired surgical nurse and University of Florida graduate who became deputy mayor on March 31, filed to run for mayor on April 29.

She first won election to the council in November 2022 when no other candidate filed to run for Thomson’s open seat. She would have had to wait until March 2023 to assume office, but because Thomson had already been forced to vacate the seat, the remaining council members saw no reason to wait and appointed her to the position effective Dec. 1, 2022.

“Innovation and common-sense decisions are the hallmarks of my public service, and we are going to keep Boca safe, secure, resident-focused, and an economic powerhouse under my administration,” she wrote on her campaign website.

“Keeping our local economy energized, making City Hall even more efficient, and making smart choices to address traffic and infrastructure needs will be key responsibilities for

Boca Raton’s next mayor. I’m not afraid to shake things up to get things done.”

Other races
Marc Wigder, who was first elected to the City Council in 2023, filed to retain his Seat B for another three-year term on April 28. He is the founder and managing principal of the real estate company Greenhouse Property Co.

As of late May, Wigder, who also serves as chair of the Community Redevelopment Agency, faced no opposition.

Christen Ritchey filed on May 5 to run for Nachlas’ Seat A. A city Planning and Zoning Board member, she briefly sought a council seat in 2022, challenging Wigder. But she withdrew from the race to focus on her two children and her law firm, now named Johnson Ritchey Family Law. She threw her support behind Wigder.

Perennial candidate Bernard Korn, a real estate broker who has never won an election, filed to run for mayor on April 1 and for Nachlas’ Seat A on May 1.

In his unsuccessful run against incumbent Yvette Drucker last year, he garnered his strongest showing ever, capturing 23% of the vote.

Drucker, who is prevented by term limits from seeking another City Council term, has joined the 2026 contest to succeed term-limited state Sen. Lori Berman, D-Boca Raton. Berman has endorsed Drucker.

By Mary Hladky

Boca Raton officials are firming up plans to build a new police headquarters costing as much as $175 million on city-owned land immediately east of the Spanish River Library.

The new facility, described by Deputy City Manager Jim Zervis as the “largest public works project this city has undertaken,” would be financed with a 30-year, tax-exempt general obligation bond. Residents would foot the cost by absorbing a property tax increase that would end when the bond is paid off.

Voters will decide if that will happen. They likely will be asked whether or not to approve the bond issue in the March 2026 city election. By having the election then, the city would avoid the cost of holding a special election.

The new headquarters would replace the existing headquarters that was built in 1987 across Northwest Second Avenue from City Hall and is now too small and in poor condition.

Zervis and Police Chief Michele Miuccio told City Council members on May 12 that the new building is badly needed. When the current headquarters was built, the city had 145 police employees. It now has 331 and is “busting at the seams,” Zervis said.

As a result, police personnel and equipment are in five locations, creating significant inefficiency, they said.

Although the existing building is in the downtown government campus that is in the process of being redeveloped, the move to a new location is not directly related to that, officials said.

The current headquarters is on 4.4 acres, which is not enough land to accommodate the centralization of police operations.

The city parcel at the intersection of Spanish River Boulevard and Broken Sound Boulevard is 20 acres, but city officials do not yet know how much of that land would be needed for the new headquarters.

Another reason for the proposed move is that the current location is no longer considered to be in the center of the city. Because of city growth north and west, officials see the Spanish River site as more central with much better access to major roadways that will give police better and faster access to all parts of the city, they said.

Miuccio said that police response times will not be reduced for any part of the city as a result of the proposed new location. The downtown campus redevelopment plans call for inclusion of a 10,000-square-foot police substation.

The city has penciled in a new police headquarters cost of $175 million, but that amount is an estimate that could be reduced.

If the bond issue is approved, construction is estimated to start in early 2027 and finish in early 2029. 

Boca Raton plans to launch an autonomous vehicle pilot project in about three months in a half-mile loop within Mizner Park once federal agencies approve. The goal is to eventually expand the service to city streets. Photo provided

Boca Raton is on track to begin providing another way to get around downtown without driving a car, but the added service isn’t happening fast enough for some City Council members.

Officials will launch an autonomous electric vehicle pilot project in about three months, when they expect to have needed approvals from the U.S. Department of Transportation and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The city is starting small, offering the service only in a half-mile loop within Mizner Park. It then plans to enlarge the service area south to Palmetto Park Road before eventually expanding to include Royal Palm Place. After that, Boca Raton will offer it on city streets.

The service was proposed by Guident, a Boca Raton-based company that seeks to speed up autonomous vehicle adoption and will provide the software and remote monitoring.

The eight-seat vehicle, which will travel no faster than 25 mph, is made by Auve Tech.

The vehicle will be self-driving, but Circuit Transit, which began operating an EV shuttle service one year ago throughout the greater downtown area and later on the barrier island, will have an employee on board to take over operation if anything goes wrong, as federal rules now require.

When launched, the service will make four to six stops in Mizner Park and will be offered four days a week for nine hours a day. The initial three-month trial will cost $90,405.

City Council members, who heard program details at a May 12 meeting, were pleased the service will be starting, but exasperated that it initially will be so modest.

They doubted it would attract much ridership in Mizner Park, which is easily walkable.

“Once again, Boca Raton is late to the party,” complained Council member Yvette Drucker. She noted that West Palm Beach launched the same service in April and it already is operating on city streets.

She and other council members pressed city staff to expand the service area as soon as possible.

— Mary Hladky

Humor on exhibit in Highland Beach emerged from artist’s hair-on-fire epiphany

Marissa Acocella with the tools of her craft at home in Highland Beach. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

By Rich Pollack

It was New Year’s Eve 1990 and Marisa Acocella was searching for answers from a higher authority. 

A self-taught cartoonist who had been drawing since she was 3, Acocella earned a degree from the Pratt Institute in New York and was working as an advertising agency art director, catering to high-powered clients. She hated it. 

So she lit a candle to summon saints and others from above and ask for guidance. She accidentally leaned forward into the flame, setting her hair on fire. This happened right  after Acocella had added the line “she was a little upset during the meeting” to an irreverent drawing of herself with a gun in her mouth.

Then she had an epiphany.

“That’s when I realized that’s what I should have been all along — a cartoonist,” she said. 

Three and a half decades later, that once-frustrated commercial artist is an internationally recognized cartoonist whose work is regularly featured in The New Yorker. Her cartoons have also appeared in some of the top fashion magazines including Mirabella, Glamour, W and Elle, as well as in The New York Times and O, The Oprah Magazine. 

Now 64 and living in Highland Beach, Acocella is also the author of three graphic novels, and the acclaimed graphic memoir — Cancer Vixen — detailing her battle with breast cancer that was diagnosed in 2004, three weeks before she was married. 

Marisa Acocella has authored a book detailing her battle with breast cancer.

Through July 22, a sampling of 28 of Acocella’s cartoons from The New Yorker will be on display in the Highland Beach Library, along with underwater photographs by Mark Kosarin.

Visitors to the exhibit will note that Acocella’s work is somewhat eclectic, although fashion tends to be a favorite theme. 

“They’re about fashion but they’re not just about fashion,” she said. “They’re about women.”

Her work, much of which was created while she lived in Manhattan, can also be autobiographical and, of course, a little irreverent. 

“I look at the world through my own lens,” she said. 

Working for The New Yorker, she says, is not easy. The magazine famous for its cartoons has a reputation for being highly selective.

Like many of the cartoonists who submit ideas, Acocella sends 10 to 12 drawings every week to The New Yorker.

“It’s a lot of hard work,” she said, adding that as a cartoonist there is no steady paycheck. “You can go months without a sale.” 

Acocella’s cartoons from The New Yorker are on display in the Highland Beach Library. This one hints at her love of fashion and a childhood as daughter of a luxury shoe designer. Cartoons provided

Coming up with ideas for the one-panel cartoons that appear in the magazine is the fun part, she says. “As an artist, you go where your imagination takes you, then you put it down on paper.”

The hard part, she adds, is re-creating the initial sketch that took five minutes to rough out and turning it into the final artwork, which can take days.

The daughter of a high-end shoe designer — her mother, Violetta, also of Highland Beach, designed the shoes Jackie Kennedy wore to her husband’s inauguration — Acocella grew up with sketches everywhere in her home. 

“The first thing I ever drew was a shoe,” she said. 

By the time she was 3 she was drawing women similar to those in the drawings her mother submitted with trend reports to manufacturers. 

“I got bored because the women weren’t saying anything,” she said. 

That changed when Acocella was 8 and the family went on a vacation to Bermuda. The resort where they stayed put them in a room that her mother was unhappy with, so the staff put them in a “pink elephant” of a house on the edge of the property. 

Gracing the walls were sketches and The New Yorker cartoons and Acocella soon learned that the house had belonged to James Thurber, a famous cartoonist and author for the magazine.

She stayed up to 3 a.m. reading Thurber’s books and studying the cartoons with captions, realizing she could make the people in her drawings talk. 

Acocella awoke four hours later with the sensation that something was crawling on her, only to discover hundreds of red ants all over the bed. 

“I tell people ‘That’s when I got bitten by the cartoonist bug,’” she said.

Most of Acocella’s cartoons focus on women and fashion, although men are not immune from her wit.

During her career, Acocella worked on a twice-monthly reportage column for The New York Times — journalism in cartoon drawings — and had a monthly comic strip in Mirabella and later in Elle. 

Excerpts from the book Cancer Vixen appeared in Glamour magazine, with 72 panels on six pages. 

Cancer Vixen, which chronicles her successful battle with breast cancer — even though she didn’t have health insurance — is being considered as the basis of a television show and a movie.

Her books are available at the Highland Beach Library.

While working on another book, Acocella is continuing to come up with ideas, some of which manifest when she’s strolling through Highland Beach. 

“I get my best ideas when I’m walking,” she said. 

If You Go

What: Art exhibit featuring works by Marisa Acocella, including 28 of her cartoons for The New Yorker, and underwater photography by Mark Kosarin 

Where: Highland Beach Library, 3618 S. Ocean Blvd.

When: Through July 22; 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Mon.-Thu., 10-4:30 Fri., 9-1:30 Sat. 

Information: 561-278-5455 or https://highlandbeach.us/231/Library

Ballroom Battle dancers will be (l-r) George Petrocelli, Michael Drews, Mitchell Fogel, Troy Ganter, Michelle Hagerty, Lauren Muñoz, Linda Paton and Allison Stewart. Photo provided by Muñoz Photography

The eight dancers for the 2025 Boca’s Ballroom Battle, co-chaired by Terry Fedele and Zoe Lanham, have been selected.

The theme will be the British Invasion, and the attire will be bold fashion inspired by music from across the pond.

In its 18th year, the George Snow Scholarship Fund’s signature event is set for Sept. 20 at The Boca Raton and coincides with National Dance Day. 

The dancers’ goal is to capture the coveted Mirror Ball Trophy not only by giving  spectacular performances but by raising funds to help students achieve higher education.

For more information, call 561-347-6799, Ext. 114, or visit ballroombattle.com.

Apply now for ‘Quantum in the Community‘ grants 

The Quantum Foundation is calling local grassroots nonprofits with annual budgets up to $500,000 to apply for a portion of the $1.25 million in grants available this year.

The grants are aimed at meeting the basic needs of Palm Beach County residents by providing food, shelter, transportation, clothing, showers, furniture, medical equipment and hygiene supplies.

“Our grantees are not only serving but encouraging and giving strength to those who need it most,” foundation President Eric Kelly said. “They all make our neighborhoods a much stronger and healthier place for residents.”

Applications for “Quantum in the Community” grants will be accepted through Aug. 1. 

The foundation also is accepting nominations for the Marie Thorpe Above and Beyond Award. In memory of staff member Marie Thorpe, who served the foundation for more than two decades, the recognition will be given to an everyday hero who exemplifies sacrifice and service. 

For more information, call 561-832-7497 or visit quantumfnd.org

Donation expands YMCA scholarships for teens

The YMCA of South Palm Beach County has received a $20,000 donation from Maurice and Margie Plough and the M.B. & Edna Zale Foundation to support at-risk teens.

The funds will provide full and partial scholarships, giving teens access to Y memberships and programs that promote academic success, leadership and personal growth.

“With today’s teens facing rising challenges like mental health issues and academic pressure, support like this ensures no teen is left behind due to financial barriers,” said Bryan Hunt, executive director of the Peter Blum Family YMCA.

For more information, call 561-395-9622 or visit ymcaspbc.org

$460,000 in grants goes to 21 nonprofits

The Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties has awarded its Community Impact summer grants following a highly competitive cycle in which 40 applicants sought more than $1.7 million in funding.

Grants worth $460,000 to 21 local nonprofits will empower them to launch or expand summer programs ranging from academic enrichment and mentorship to arts and wellness.

“We’re proud to support these 21 organizations whose summer programs will positively impact local children, families and communities,” said Julie Fisher Cummings, chairwoman of the foundation’s Community Impact committee, which oversees the process. “These grants reflect the foundation’s deep commitment to strengthening nonprofits on the front lines of change.”

For more information, call 561-659-6800 or visit yourcommunityfoundation.org

Selfless Love Foundation is celebrating a decade of dedication. Since 2015, the nonprofit based in Jupiter has assisted thousands of children in foster care by helping them get adopted and by providing supportive housing for youths aging out of the system. Its record-breaking fundraiser included signature cocktails, exquisite auction items and heartwarming stories highlighting the organization’s milestones. ‘When my husband, Ed, and I started Selfless Love Foundation, we never imagined what would happen in 10 years,’ founder and CEO Ashley Brown said. ‘All the families that have been created through adoption and the youth who are succeeding against all odds are the living legacies of Selfless Love that our supporters have helped to build.’ ABOVE: (l-r) Ajayda Davis, Eloise DeJoria, Jazzy Amerson, Tradella Lester, Serena Aguilar, John Paul DeJoria and Antonia Fede. Photo provided by Capehart

A full field of players raised more than $30,000 for Achievement Centers for Children & Families at the nonprofit‘s sixth annual golf tournament. Achievement Centers, based in Delray Beach, supports hundreds of children and their families by providing access to affordable child care and after-school services. Under the leadership of Co-Chairmen Mike Cruz and Leon Teske, the event received support from numerous sponsors, including the Delaire Country Club Car Club. ‘Achievement Centers for Children & Families has given me and my fellow car enthusiasts a meaningful way to connect with younger generations and share our passion for automobiles,’ club member Jim Newman said. ‘Learning about their impactful programs serving at-risk youth across south Palm Beach County has been truly rewarding.’ ABOVE: Cruz and Teske. Photo provided

With record-breaking ticket sales of more than 500, the annual Kravis Center Gala featured a performance by Harry Connick Jr. Guests were first ushered in to a 1940s-themed Klub Kravis cocktail reception. The evening concluded with dinner and dancing highlighted by a replica silent film created especially for the event. ‘Education and community engagement are at the heart of the Kravis Center’s mission, and the generosity of our Gala guests helps make it all possible,’ Gala Co-Chairman William Meyer said. ‘Together we are shaping the future — one student, one performance, one life-changing moment at a time.’ ABOVE: Jeff and Aggie Stoops. Photo provided by Capehart

The Creative Waves Foundation raised more than $100,000 at an event that featured opportunities to win vacations to Africa and Italy, fine jewelry, a golf outing and a fishing charter. The event also featured songs sung by children from the Belle Glade enrichment center and by Bianca Rosarrio and The Smooth Operators band. The foundation helped fund the 15,000-square-foot enrichment center that opened in February. The foundation also underwrites student scholarships and summer programs. ABOVE: Steve and Val Coz of Ocean Ridge. Photo provided

Michael and Dale Bare.

David and Dale Pratt.

Dara and Andy Tupler.

JARC Florida, a South County-based nonprofit that provides programs and services to educate and empower individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, brought in more than $1.1 million at its 39th annual fundraiser. Nearly 400 guests attended. The 2025 Lynne & Howard Halpern Champions for Special Needs Award was presented to the late Bernie Marcus and Billi Marcus. Craig Shapiro received the 2025 Volunteer of the Year Award. ‘The JARC Gala is a heartfelt celebration of our clients, their families, dedicated staff, generous donors, volunteers and the community partners who make our mission possible,’ CEO Jeffrey Zirulnick said. Photos provided by Jeffrey Tholl Photography

In honor of the 100th anniversary of the Spady House, home of the Spady Cultural Heritage Museum, Steve and Lori Martel served as hosts of a garage-band celebration. As members of the museum’s Society 1926, the Martels are leading efforts to raise $100,000 during the next year. Society 1926 members are organizing a series of events, and the Martels kicked off the first one with a rousing lineup of musical performances. Participants also enjoyed food and wine while learning about the museum’s mission to promote Black history. ‘We believe that a community that includes a mix of good people is a necessary key to a great life,’ Steve Martel said. ‘The Spady Museum is part of what makes our city so great, and Lori and I are honored to help it continue.’ ABOVE: (l-r) Holly Downs, Ed Flak and Anne Stretch. Photo provided by MasterWing Creative

More than 850 guests enjoyed the 22nd annual benefit for Achievement Centers for Children & Families as they visited seven exquisite homes with gorgeous views, eclectic art and lush landscaping. More than $200,000 was raised to support people in need of services in South County. ‘Each year we select a different Delray Beach neighborhood where homeowners can showcase their interior designs and architectural styles,’ Co-Chairwoman Noreen Payne said. ABOVE: Gina Griffin and Robert Norberg. Photo provided

Freestyle skier Eileen Gu strikes a pose at Cloister at The Boca Raton. Photo provided by Sports Illustrated

By Joe Capozzi 

The swimsuit models get all the attention in the annual Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue. But folks in south Palm Beach County are excited about a certain other model gracing the 2025 cover — The Boca Raton resort and spa.

The Boca Raton is one of five featured locations for the 61st swimsuit edition, released May 13. One of four sites that won cover spots, the resort served as the backdrop for shoots featuring mostly Olympic medal-winning athletes. 

That’s gold-medal gymnast Jordan Chiles on the cover, lounging on the beach. Those are WNBA player Cameron Brink and gold-medal freestyle skier Eileen Gu on the roof of the Cloister wearing bikinis that would make Addison Mizner, the hotel’s original designer, blush. 

“Approaching its 100th birthday, The Boca Raton shows off plenty of Mizner’s signature Spanish Mediterranean, Moorish and Gothic influences,’’ the magazine says in its opening page, describing the resort as “a sanctuary that blends the laid-back luxury of beachfront living with the vibrancy and amenities of a world-class destination.’’

The release of the issue allows The Boca Raton to show off its all-new Beach Club hotel, which opened in January after an extensive $130 million redesign. 

“SI has such a global reach. It makes for great PR for both parties. We were really pleased to be selected,’’ said Daniel A. Hostettler, the resort’s president & CEO, who credited Laura Davidson Public Relations, the resort’s PR firm, for successfully pitching The Boca Raton to Sports Illustrated.

For 11 days last November, a “small army” of photographers and swimsuit models converged on The Boca Raton, “mostly out of view of guests,” he said. 

Other Olympic medalists photographed at The Boca Raton include track and field’s Gabby Thomas, gymnast Sunisa Lee, golfer Nelly Korda, surfer Caroline Marks, and swimmer Ali Truwit, along with race-car driver Toni Breidinger. 

“These are some phenomenal athletes so it’s really neat to see them scattered about the resort. There’s a lot of pride for us,’’ Hostettler said.

“They found some great locations here including the roof of the Cloister with some great architecture and the restaurant decks. When you see the magazine, you’ll recognize instantly that a good 50 percent of the photos were done here,’’ he said. 

Other shooting locations were in Bermuda, Mexico, Switzerland and Fort Worth, Texas. The magazine’s three other covers feature resorts in Mexico and Bermuda. 

Within days of the magazine’s release in May, Hostettler started hearing reaction. 

“People were thrilled to see us and how we were on the cover and so prominent throughout the magazine,’’ he said. “We’ve had a lot of industry colleagues saying, ‘Wow, this is big!’’’

Since 1964, the annual Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue has featured shoots in exotic locations across the world. Florida has been featured several times, starting in 1981 when Christie Brinkley graced the cover on Captiva. 

“It was an honor to collaborate with the Sports Illustrated team who captured our property’s energy and spirit of eternal summer permanently within its pages,” Hostettler said. 

Jo Jo Harder of Boca Raton with her cover dog Romeo and new book. Harder created the America’s Top Dog Model contest, an idea on which the book is based. Photos provided by Jo Jo Harder

By Arden Moore

It’s called the catwalk — the runway that supermodels strut upon at internationally acclaimed fashion shows. Jo Jo Harder of Boca Raton knows this world oh so well. She lived it.

She has also succeeded as a flight attendant, fashion designer, stylist, author and producer. 

After living in New York City and Minneapolis, she spent time in an ocean vacation villa in Key Largo and fell in love with South Florida. She has resided in Boca Raton since 2003.

“I declared that when I moved to Florida, I went to the dogs!” she says with a laugh.

In the past two-plus decades, Jo Jo has boldly combined her love for fashion and for dogs. She created the annual America’s Top Dog Model contest and the annual America’s Top Dog Model calendars. Her efforts garnered praise in leading pet and fashion publications, as well as from television and radio show hosts and even in an award-winning documentary. Simply put, she has been credited with developing doggie glamour now embraced worldwide.

Through it all, Jo Jo stays focused on her mission: “to celebrate dogs that make a difference in people’s lives.” 

Recently, she unleashed her fourth book, called Vintage Tails: Featuring America’s Top Dog Models. On the cover striking the canine sweet pose is Romeo, her loyal and fashionable Italian greyhound who is now 17 years old. 

Romeo is wearing a vintage 1950s silk chiffon scarf and 1930s rhinestone brooch.

“My Romeo inspired me to create this book,” say Jo Jo. “Romeo’s companionship and love are priceless to me. He brings out the best in me by being by my side.”

The 78 pages of this hardcover book feature bejeweled, feathered and decked-out America’s Top Dog Model canines in attire from the 1920s, ’30s, ’40s and ’50s.

“Each page is a tail-wagging tribute to the elegance and sophistication of yesteryears,” she says. “It’s been my dream to author a black-and-white coffee table book with Romeo on the cover.”

In her book’s introduction, Jo Jo inspires readers by writing, “Welcome to Vintage Tails, where you will find magical and captivating stories. Step back in time and imagine your dog’s style in the ’20s, ’30s, ’40s and ’50s. Think black-and-white screen, smooth music and old Hollywood glamour.” 

Among the canine models featured are:

• Daphne Simone, a dashing cocker spaniel model who traveled through Palm Beach County, New York City and the East Hamptons. She is shown wearing a tiara and proudly posed next to a stylish travel bag with a bow.

• Fabulous Lola channeled her inner canine Audrey Hepburn inside an open classic Mercedes Benz model from the 1950s.

• Babydoll is in a silky full-length gown, captured doggy daydreaming of 1930s stars Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.

I first learned about Jo Jo in 2011 and profiled her in my pet column for The Coastal Star. She had just authored what is considered to be the first style book for dogs, aptly titled Diva Dogs: A Style Guide to Living the Fabulous Life. 

At the time, she shared the following timeless advice to ensure success at any canine party or event:

• Hone your doggy manners at home. Enroll your dog in an obedience class with a professional certified trainer who employs positive training techniques.

• Shop early. Don’t delay shopping for an outfit for your dog to attend a canine event. 

• Clean up your act. “Party dogs should arrive groomed, bathed and with their nails trimmed,” she says. 

Jo Jo — when I caught up with her recently — acknowledged that not all dogs wish to be fashionistas. 

“Not all dogs like wearing clothes and it’s important not to force it,” she says. “Their happiness is our No. 1  priority.” 

Jo Jo also enjoys helping budding entrepreneurs in the pet world.

“Keep your eye on the goal,” she says. “Be persistent, engaging, supportive, collaborative and charitable. Connect with pet businesses locally and on social media. Work hard and never stop believing. Above all, be kind!”

With Romeo at her side, Jo Jo reflects on her life and then says, “I would like to be remembered as a helpful and honest person who was a good mother, a loyal friend and an animal lover. I would like to be remembered as being uniquely creative and for my love of animals.”

Arden Moore is an author, speaker and master certified pet first aid instructor. Learn more by visiting www.ardenmoore.com.

Vintage Tails earns plenty of praise  

Sheila Firestone, a composer and president of the Boca Raton branch of the National League of American Pen Women, writes: “Delight in the elegance of those unforgettable decades with America’s Top Dog Models in Vintage Tails. Be charmed, just as I was!”  

Pilley Bianchi, bestselling author of For the Love of Dog, writes: “In Vintage Tails, author/influencer Jo Jo Harder delivers a delightfully charming and clever book taking us on a historic and pictorial journey of stylist pups and their real-life stories.” 

Learn more about Harder at americastopdogmodel.com.