By Joe Capozzi

A $9.5 million budget proposal for Ocean Ridge would hold the tax rate next year while paying for rising public safety costs and enhancements to town flood prevention strategies. 
Even if commissioners on July 5 approve Town Manager Tracey Stevens’ request to keep the current tax rate of $5.50 per $1,000 of taxable value, residents can still expect higher tax bills next year because of rising property values across town. 
Preliminary estimates from the Palm Beach County property appraiser show Ocean Ridge’s taxable values rising 18.3% to $1.4 billion. As a result, commissioners don’t expect to pull money from reserves to balance the budget as they have done in previous years. 
Stevens’ spending proposal is nearly 8.4% higher than the current budget. One of “the driving forces” of the spending increases, she said in a memo to commissioners, is the “town’s commitment to funding enhanced maintenance and drainage infrastructure projects that were deferred for many years.’’ 
Other factors include increases in salaries and benefits for public safety services, along with a rise in insurance rates and solid waste collection costs.
At $3.464 million, the Police Department comprises the biggest chunk of the budget followed by the town’s contract with Boynton Beach for fire rescue services, at nearly $1.4 million.
On June 6, commissioners spent nearly half of a budget workshop reviewing $1,438,758 in capital improvements for infrastructure and maintenance, including stormwater issues.
Among more than $320,000 in flood-prevention projects included in the plan: 
• $85,000 for upgrades to the catch basin and valve replacements on Spanish River Drive to reduce “abnormally long-standing stormwater” in certain areas. 
• Up to $75,000 for repairs to the Tropical Drive pump station, where leaks in at least two of the five flap-gates are causing stormwater to backflow in the system.
• $70,000 in maintenance to the Tropical and Woolbright pump stations.
• $45,000 for pipe grouting beneath roads in Inlet Cay. 
• $15,000 for wet well maintenance at the Tropical, Woolbright and Coconut Lane pump stations.
During a discussion about nuisance flooding issues, Vice Mayor Kristine de Haseth asked, “What can residents do to mitigate standing water, especially after a rain event?”
Town engineer Lisa Tropepe said residents can turn off their sprinklers during heavy rain, trim their sod (which is often higher than the crowns of some streets), and make sure swales don’t erode. 
A few hours later, the commission in its regular meeting received a petition signed by 17 residents of Tropical Drive asking the town to install automatic shut-off valves to reduce flooding there.
Commissioners will shape the 2022-23 spending plan this summer before holding public hearings for the budget at 6 p.m. Sept. 6 and Sept. 19.

By Joe Capozzi

Nothing brings neighbors together in South Palm Beach like a good party. That’s the idea behind a plan to honor the town’s most senior resident with a celebration at Town Hall in August.
Who will the guest of honor be? That’s what town officials want to know. They’re asking residents to help them identify the oldest person in town.
“We need to find them and celebrate them,’’ said Vice Mayor Bill LeRoy, whose idea for the party, pitched at a June 14 Town Council meeting, was met with enthusiasm by his fellow council members. 
“It’s just another event for the town to bring everyone together,’’ he said.
LeRoy has long been a proponent of the town hosting community events where residents, the majority of whom live in condos, can mingle and meet neighbors.
Happy with the success of two public events hosted outside Town Hall this year — a Memorial Day celebration and a wine-and-sliders party — LeRoy said he wants Town Hall to host more public gatherings. “Otherwise, you never see each other,’’ he said. 
One day in June, LeRoy said he was chatting with a golfing buddy. “He happened to ask, ‘Who is the oldest person in South Palm Beach?’ And I said, ‘I have no idea but we need to find out. And we need to have a party for them.’ I was also looking for a good reason to bring the people together in August.’’
If the inaugural birthday celebration is a success, LeRoy wants to make it an annual event.
“We can do the tent, get a big cake and some beverages, a lovely event to bring us all together.’’
To identify its most senior resident, the town plans to spread word through social media and in notices posted in condo lobbies. 
Someone at the June 14 meeting jokingly suggested reaching out to Al Roker, the Today show weatherman who offers tributes to centenarians, but LeRoy said he’s confident residents will be able to identify the guest of honor. 
“Somebody has got to know who the oldest person in town is. We need to find them, get them out and celebrate them,’’ he said.
In other business, the council in July will review Town Manager Robert Kellogg’s budget proposal for 2022-23. Property values in town are expected to exceed half a billion dollars, a 12.7% increase Kellogg said would generate an additional $193,900 in revenue for next year’s budget under the current tax rate.

The Little Club golf course has a number of lakes. Gulf Stream wants to double the size of a small, quarter-acre lake to provide additional drainage for a town capital improvement project. Photo provided

By Steve Plunkett

A demand by The Little Club to have a separate engineer review the town’s drainage plan may cause a three-month delay and add a year or more to the Gulf Stream capital improvement project, officials said.
Town Manager Greg Dunham told commissioners on June 10 that for the past year Gulf Stream’s consulting engineers at Baxter & Woodman have been “laboring under the assumption” that The Little Club would let the town enlarge one of its lakes to filter stormwater.
“But recently in meeting with The Little Club, they’ve expressed the need for them to use a golf course architect and their engineer to review this,” Dunham said.
And worse, the club’s engineer has other work booked and cannot start this review for two or three months.
Mayor Scott Morgan was not happy with The Little Club’s leaders.
“They spoke before the commission in June of 2021, one year ago this month, and made statements that they’re in agreement with that (proposal) and that the pond that was selected was the perfect place to do it without interfering with golf play,” Morgan said.
Baxter & Woodman engineer Rebecca Travis is supposed to present a draft design of the drainage and roadwork at the commission’s July 8 meeting, with 60% completed plans due in December and final plans next April. Dunham said perhaps she can provide another option.
“The schedule that we’ve got really can’t wait two or three months,” Dunham said.
No one from The Little Club attended the meeting, and club manager Rob Lehner did not immediately reply to an email seeking comment.
Gulf Stream wants to improve the streets, drainage and water mains on both the west and east sides of its Core area. Part of the plan includes replacing a 24-inch drainage pipe from Polo Drive to a canal off the Intracoastal Waterway with a 48-inch pipe. In order to gain permission from the South Florida Water Management District, the engineers have proposed enlarging a quarter-acre lake at The Little Club to a half-acre. The district does not consider a lake smaller than a half-acre as helping drainage.
“Part of the main reason that we’re redoing the roads is to eliminate the flooding that’s been occurring for decades,” Morgan said.
Commissioner Paul Lyons said he hoped to outlive the construction phase.
“This CIP plan — it’s taking a long time. I just want to be sure I have an opportunity to enjoy it,” he said of the town’s capital improvement plan. The town is in year five of the 10-year plan and wants the Core phase of the drainage project completed in three years.
The mayor said he and Dunham would continue discussions with club leaders.
Dunham said if negotiations with the club fail, Gulf Stream’s Plan B would be to use “water filtration trenches” all around town.
But that option also has potential problems.
“These trenches are rather large and our rights-of-way are full of other utilities,” he said.

More than 100 people gathered along Atlantic Avenue to protest the U.S. Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, the 1973 landmark decision of the court that established the constitutional right to an abortion during the first two trimesters of pregnancy. The court’s June 24 decision shifted abortion rights decisions to state legislatures, with the likelihood that abortions would become illegal or face severe restrictions in about half the country. The decision brought out people for and against it nationwide. Jerry Lower/ The Coastal Star

Kenny Brown holds a rescued pelican that was suffering from a fishing hook injury in 2010. Now people are helping Brown, who has lung and heart ailments. Coastal Star file photo

By Larry Keller

Kenny Brown, aka “the pelican man,” has spent the better part of two decades responding to calls in South County and beyond to help the whimsical yet graceful birds and other wildlife when they’re sick or injured.
Brown’s fee: Nothing.
“I appreciate him because he’s always willing to help, no matter what,” said Monica Slazinski of Delray Beach. Most recently it was to check on a wan wading bird called a limpkin.
“He was at my house within 30 minutes,” Slazinski said.
Now it’s Brown, 59, who needs medical assistance for serious lung and other maladies.
Treatment is far from free. So Slazinski established a GoFundMe page to help Brown, who has no health insurance and no income to pay bills. As of June 27 it had raised $7,863 from 172 donations.
Brown has been hospitalized three times lately, and was admitted to the intensive care unit once, he said in an interview shortened by his shortness of breath. He is now taking blood thinners for clots on his lungs, and medicine for an enlarged heart. He is dependent on portable oxygen.
“I can’t talk much longer,” he said in the interview from his home in west Delray Beach. “I keep coughing up stuff. I’m going to be out of breath … it’s very scary.”
Brown used to earn a little money with a for-profit no-kill animal trapping service, and doing carpentry jobs. His health has halted that, but he still has to make truck payments, pay rent and feed his two cats, two birds, a dog and himself.
It’s not just individuals like Slazinski who call Brown. So do towns without budgets to cover animal rescues and rehabs.
Ocean Ridge police have called Brown well over 100 times in the past 10 years, Chief Richard Jones said.
“We rely on him a lot … but Kenny is always there, and he never says no,” Jones said. “He’s been a huge asset to our department and our community. We’re obviously heartbroken that he’s ill and in a predicament where he needs help.”
While Brown doesn’t charge anybody to relocate animals not seriously hurt or to transport those that are to a place that will treat them, a nonprofit Ocean Ridge police support group has donated $500 to $1,000 annually to help him offset his expenses, Jones said.
“He’s had financial struggles over the years,” Jones said. “At one time he was driving an old vehicle that was breaking down all the time, and we’d call him and he’d say, ‘Hey, I can’t get there right now because the truck’s broken down, but I can get there tomorrow.’”
When he bought a newer truck a couple of years ago, Brown was pleased that it would enable him to respond to calls more quickly, Jones said.
In Manalapan, police also regularly rely on Brown.
“He has provided a service to us for over 20 years for free,” said Chief Carmen Mattox. “If there’s an injured animal in our community, we call ‘the pelican man.’ The pelican man’s response is ‘I’m on the way.’ He always comes.”
Beachfront towns like Ocean Ridge and Manalapan most often call Brown to assist seabirds in distress. But Slazinski has asked for his help with mammals too. “Kenny would, I think, save a rat if he had the ability to,” she said.
“Coyotes, bobcats, raccoons, possums — every animal there is in Florida, I’ve rescued,” Brown said. “You have to understand something. There is nobody to rescue injured wildlife.”
Local and state agencies “all call me because nobody will help them. You see an animal that’s injured or dying that’s been hit by a car or hanging in a tree, I’m going to go rescue them and bring them to a hospital.”
Now all he can do is hope that somehow he becomes well enough to resume helping shorebirds entangled in fishing line and four-legged critters smacked by motor vehicles.
“I sure hope so,” he said, “because I’ve already had many, many calls. I couldn’t do nothing and it breaks my heart.”
To many who have counted on Brown’s help, it seems only right to repay his kindness.
One GoFundMe donor wrote: “Kenny came to my home twice when wildlife were in danger, very late into the evening. He wasn’t well then with his breathing, but seemed tireless in efforts to save God’s creatures in trouble. Kenny is one of God’s creatures in trouble right now and needs our help.”
Slazinski added, “If we all want a better place, we have to chip in. He’s one of the few people who has truly dedicated his life to making this place more habitable for animals and people alike. The least we can do is help him out.”

Brown’s GoFundMe page is at: https://www.gofundme.com/f/donate-to-help-kenny-brown?qid=49e499215acd78f83e33b59165c1de10

Kaufman Lynn Construction executive Ben Baffer, chairman of the Delray Beach Historic Preservation Board, believes that historic buildings and sites ‘are our community’s collective legacy, and our link to our past.’ This photo mural of projects — including the historic Miami Freedom Tower — graces the Kaufman Lynn conference room. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

Perhaps no one is more aware of the importance of preserving historic buildings in our communities than someone who builds new ones for a living.
That is one of the elements that has made Ben Baffer an excellent choice for chairman of the Delray Beach Historic Preservation Board. His two-year term in that role will come to an end in August.
Baffer, 57, recently rejoined Kaufman Lynn Construction as senior vice president after spending the last three years with a Miami firm. He also spent two years (2010-12) with Kaufman Lynn in Miami working on the restoration of the Freedom Tower, one of South Florida’s most iconic buildings, dating to 1925.
Considered one of South Florida’s leading experts on historical restoration projects, Baffer initially joined Kaufman Lynn in 2007 as a senior project manager before a promotion to vice president of operations. He and his family have lived in Delray Beach for 21 years.
“There is so little history in South Florida, compared to other parts of the country,” Baffer said. “That makes the few historic buildings we have become so precious, especially in areas that are attractive for development like Delray Beach.
“Historic buildings and sites are our community’s collective legacy, and our link to our past. This is critical to our identity as a community, regardless of whether you are a newcomer, a part-time resident of Delray Beach, or if your family has been here for generations.
“And from a purely economic standpoint, it is a well-known fact that communities with a strong commitment to historic preservation are able to sustain significantly higher property values.”
Baffer said as he nears the end of his final term, he is particularly proud of the way “we have furthered the mission of historic preservation by incorporating things like landscaping, sustainability and resiliency to our purview.”
Also, “the fact that we have been able to conduct our business as a board in a manner that has always been civil, collaborative and supportive of one another, the city staff and the applicants who come before us.”
“The paradox of historic preservation is that for it to be sustainable, property owners must be able to continuously maintain, improve and invest in their historic properties. If not, historic properties will be left to deteriorate and the historic resource will be eventually lost.
“Our job as a historic preservation board is to help property owners to improve and maintain their historic properties in a way that is consistent with the land development regulations, and the Secretary of the Interior’s standards for historic preservation. In other words, we are here to help people make good decisions.”
Baffer’s wife, Kathy, spent 14 years as president of the Seagate Neighborhood Association and is a Realtor in Delray. Their daughter Grace, 19, is a sophomore at the University of Florida, and Ava, 16, is a junior at American Heritage School.
The Baffers bought a small travel trailer camper during the pandemic and have used it extensively for family trips.

— Brian Biggane

Q: Where did you grow up and go to school? How do you think that has influenced you?
A: I grew up in Newport News, Virginia, which is in the southeastern corner of the state where the Chesapeake Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean. Growing up there, I got to know humidity, mosquitoes and the smell of low tide. I grew up on the water, and I knew at an early age that I could never live far from the coast. So, it should come as no surprise that I eventually ended up in Delray Beach. I went to college at Virginia Tech, and then graduate school at the University of Florida.

Q: What professions have you worked in? What professional accomplishments are you most proud of?
A: I have only worked in one profession, as a general contractor in the construction industry. On the advice of my older sister, who was majoring in architecture, I majored in building construction. This turned out to be the right decision. I was hired by a general contractor immediately after college, and this is all I have ever done.
Construction is one of the few careers where we have lasting, tangible proof of our efforts and accomplishments, and so much of my professional identity is wrapped up in the buildings and projects that I have built, and I am proud of them all.
However, in 2010 I had the opportunity with Kaufman Lynn Construction to perform a two-year historic restoration of the Miami Freedom Tower. This is the one project I am most proud of since this building is so meaningful to Miami and the Cuban community. This project won numerous local and national restoration awards, including Engineering News- Record’s “Best Project of the Year.” A decade later, people still send me photos of the Freedom Tower lit up at night.

Q: What advice do you have for a young person seeking a career today?
A: Instead of chasing the money, find something that you really like to do, because you will spend a lifetime doing it. On the other hand, never forget that your job is still work. They call it work for a reason, and if it was fun all the time, it would be called a hobby. Never underestimate the value of showing up on time and giving an honest effort every day. This will pay off in the long run, in ways you cannot imagine. 

Q: How did you choose to make your home in coastal Delray Beach?
A: My wife, Kathy, is a Florida native who grew up in Boca Raton. She owned a small cottage in the Seagate neighborhood before we were married. After we were married and started having children, we realized we needed more space. We did not want to leave the Seagate neighborhood, so in 2003 we built a larger home, and we have been here ever since.

Q: What is your favorite part about living in coastal Delray Beach?
A: Delray Beach is a special place. It has everything you would ever want or need, but still has a small-town feel. Not to mention, the 2 miles of accessible, public-access beach. I also love to remind myself that we are so fortunate to be able to live, work and raise our families in a place where people from all over the world want to visit on vacation. Because of this, I try to make a point to live a little bit of vacation every day. 

Q: What book are you reading now?
A: The Storyteller, by Dave Grohl. I am a big fan of the Foo Fighters, who in my opinion are one of the last of the great American rock bands. Dave Grohl is about my age and grew up in Springfield, Virginia. I guess he’s living out my rock and roll fantasy life. I started reading his book before Taylor Hawkins died, so this just makes it so much more poignant.
 
Q: What music do you listen to when you want to relax? When you want to be inspired?
A: My musical tastes are pretty much stuck in the two decades of the 1970s and 1990s. When I want to be inspired, I like to listen to my daughter Grace, who is an accomplished classical pianist, and to my daughter Ava, who is becoming an excellent guitarist. I love to listen to both of them play, since as a parent, there is no prouder moment than when you realize your child is really good at something that you cannot do.

Q: Have you had mentors in your life? Individuals who have inspired your life decisions?
A: Yes, too many to mention, starting with my father, from whom I inherited my work ethic, and to Mike Kaufman, who taught me the business side of the construction business. As far as life decisions go, I have found it is usually best to listen to my wife, Kathy, who keeps me grounded. She is a great sounding board, and she helps me to make good decisions.

Q: If your life story were to be made into a movie, who would play you?
A: Vince Vaughn. Mainly because of his height, and the fact that he doesn’t seem to take himself too seriously. Vince Vaughn is known for his comedy roles and doesn’t necessarily have leading man looks, but he can carry a heavy role when he needs to.

Q: Who/what makes you laugh?
A: I’m not proud of the fact that I still have the sense of humor of a 10th-grader. Totally unsophisticated, basic, stupid humor. Caddyshack, Fletch and Animal House make me laugh hysterically, no matter how many times I’ve seen them.

By Jane Smith

While Delray Beach residents were meeting about the future of Old School Square, Boca Raton Museum of Art officials who were getting a second look at operating Delray’s Cornell Art Museum decided they were no longer interested in the gig for now.
After kicking aside the Boca Raton museum’s proposals for the Cornell at their April 5 meeting, city commissioners reversed themselves June 14 and told City Manager Terrence Moore to begin new discussions with the museum’s representatives.
But Boca Raton museum leaders decided June 23 that “this is not the right time to take on the management of the Cornell Museum,” Irvin Lippman, executive director, wrote in a June 27 email to The Coastal Star. He said he had also told Moore.
“We realize many renovations still need to take place on the OSS campus,” Lippman wrote. “Still, more importantly, there is significant work to be done by the City to reach an undivided consensus about the arts in Delray Beach and what role OSS should play in the future.” 
On June 14, the City Commission also directed Moore and the city attorney to negotiate with Visual Adjectives, a mother-and-son team that now rents space at the Arts Warehouse in Delray Beach. The two want to host writing workshops and a literary festival on the Old School Square campus.
At the Delray Beach public forum held the night of the decision by Lippman’s board, participants talked about some of the things they wanted to see at Old School Square: Create better lighting throughout the campus; add more shade trees; provide a covering for outdoor concerts; host temporary public artworks; and have programs that appeal to the diversity of all city residents.
Nearly 60 attendees gathered at the Fieldhouse on the OSS campus for the forum, called a charrette. They wanted to see better signs on the grounds, local artists having display space in the Cornell, and possibly, having the museum host a Surfing Florida History exhibit that would reactivate the museum more quickly.
Moore said city staff would consult with the discussion leader, Tom Lanahan of the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council, about the suggestions. Moore planned to present a long-term vision for the campus in his weekly commission information letter on July 1. City commissioners will review the plan at their July 12 meeting.
The charrette was not streamed live and no city commissioners attended.
At the start, two men who are aligned with the previous campus operator, Old School Square Center for the Arts, tried to focus the discussion on “who” would run the downtown campus, instead of “what” the attendees want to see there.
“The who has to be defined before the what,” said Steven English, the registered agent of a new group, Friends of Delray, that supports the previous campus operators, known as OSSCA. The City Commission voted to end its relationship with OSSCA last year.
City Manager Moore stood steadfast at the charrette, redirecting the discussion to the “what” attendees wanted to see happen.
The attendees were divided into nine groups. Two of the people making presentations for their groups are board members of the former operator.
Patty Jones, the OSSCA board chairwoman, also mentioned keeping the grounds active with events, including yoga. Inside the Fieldhouse, her group wanted to see more activities for kids, along with the weddings and craft shows already held there.
Jim Chard, a former city commissioner and OSSCA board member, said it was important to have an organization that could attract donors and volunteers.
Lori Durante, a publicist and the daughter of a former city commissioner, said her group wanted to allow local artists to have exhibit space at the Cornell while hosting international art exhibits to increase attendance. She also talked about having more affordable ticket prices at Crest Theatre performances. “We need a financially sound operator,” she said.
Historic preservationist John Miller, whose group included Brian Cheslack, a lawyer who previously served on the OSSCA board, said the acoustics need to be fixed in the Fieldhouse, based on Cheslack’s input.
Suzanne Boyd, a former local TV news anchor and the new marketing manager for the Downtown Development Authority, proposed having a digital sign for Old School Square activities at the northeast corner of Swinton and Atlantic avenues.
Her group also asked for bocce ball courts, swing sets and other family activities. It did not want to see large festivals or big carnival rides on the Old School Square grounds.
The situation between the City Commission and the former operator erupted last August, after festering for years over the former operator’s finances.
City commissioners discovered the Crest Theatre was being renovated without their approval in July 2021. In addition, the bond documents for the work favored the contractor, not the city.
In August, the City Commission voted to end the lease with the former operator in 180 days on a 3-2 vote. Three months later, OSSCA sued the city, claiming wrongful termination of the lease.
“There was so much rancor from the previous tenant that many of our nonprofits were intimidated,” Commissioner Shirley Johnson said at the June 14 commission meeting.
Johnson, who was on the winning side of a 3-2 vote ending discussions with the Boca Raton art museum in April, changed her position June 14 to allow the discussions to start up again. Johnson explained her earlier vote as not understanding what the Boca Raton art museum was offering. She heard from Delray Beach residents who wanted to see the museum involved with Old School Square’s operations.
Now, before any new operator comes on board, the Cornell museum needs repairs before it can be activated.
It needs track lighting and security cameras that were removed by the previous tenants, said Laura Simon, the DDA’s executive director, at the June 14 commission meeting. She also said the adhesive from the tape used to mark the social distancing during the pandemic of the past two years had destroyed the finish on the hardwood floors in the museum.
While the Boca Raton art museum isn’t considering running the Cornell, Lippman said its leaders are willing to consult with the city’s Parks & Recreation Department on how to activate the grounds with public art while the buildings are being finished.
Commissioner Ryan Boylston’s idea for the Summer of Delray Arts fell apart because of the poor condition of the Cornell and because the nonprofits he expected to display at the museum said they wanted to be paid to put up exhibits there.
In other Delray Beach news, commissioners voted 4-1 on June 7 to increase the rates charged to properties served by the city’s water system starting July 1. It is the first time since 2009 that the city is raising water rates. Commissioner Johnson cast the dissenting vote, saying there may be other ways to raise the money for a new water treatment plant, estimated to cost about $125 million.
City water users will notice the first increase in their August bills. The average single-family home uses 6,000 gallons of water a month and will see rates rise by 5.36% to $60.93 from $57.83. The next increase will not occur until Oct. 1, 2023, when rates will rise an additional 6.11% to $64.65.

The town hopes 13-mph signs will encourage drivers to slow down on Old Ocean Boulevard, which during the season is crowded with people walking dogs, riding bikes and skateboarding. Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

By Larry Barszewski

Ocean Ridge town commissioners hope “13 mph” speed limit signs on Old Ocean Boulevard will bring the town good luck in reducing the growing tensions among the pedestrians, cyclists and motorists competing for space on the popular oceanside roadway.
The oddly numbered limit won’t be enforceable from a statutory perspective, but it could catch motorists’ attention and be a touch-off point for police patrolling the promenade-like boulevard to have discussions with them about the need to go slow there.
“I know it’s not enforceable, but we thought it was a clever way to get people to slow down,” said Carolyn Cassidy, who heads a citizens task force looking for solutions to the road problems.
The task force came about due to safety concerns on Old Ocean, a nearly mile-long road between Corrine Street and Briny Breezes Boulevard, with a few stretches of unobstructed ocean views. It attracts crowds of people — on foot, on bikes, on skateboards, in golf carts and in cars and trucks.
In addition to lowering the speed limit posted on street signs, commissioners agreed at their June 6 meeting to have some of the roadside vegetation cut back. The trimming will provide space for pedestrians to step off the road when cars pass in both directions, leaving not enough room on the road. Earlier that day, commissioners had agreed to set aside $3,800 in the town’s upcoming budget for the work, officials said.
But commissioners put off — at least for now — other suggested changes that they fear might ruin the ambience of the town’s signature boulevard or create new problems. Those ideas included placing speed humps to slow cars, painting a center line down the road, installing electronic digital signs that track the speed of oncoming vehicles, and putting up “resident only” signs.
Despite the commission’s reluctance to install lighted digital signs, it did agree to allow Police Chief Richard Jones to place the town’s portable devices on the stretch of road temporarily to encourage motorists to slow down.
“It is kind of like a country road,” Commissioner Geoff Pugh said, with walkers vastly outnumbering drivers at peak times. “I’d say most of the people that drive down there know that if you drive down there at a certain time of day, you’re going to get the stink eye every time.”
Commissioners and some residents said that drivers aren’t the only ones to blame for the road situation. Many pedestrians don’t keep to their left and face oncoming traffic; instead they block the road for the cars coming up behind them.
“I think more than cars being the problem are pedestrians that are the problem,” said resident Debby Belmonte. “They’re walking all over the place. … I think just a couple of signs maybe, for stay to your left, or walk against traffic for your own safety, just some nice signs, it’s a start. Let’s move the pedestrians and get them flowing right.”
Walkers oblivious to the cars trying to get by can be frustrating, said 92-year-old Betty Bingham, a longtime resident who frequently drives on the road.
“I go over Old Ocean all the time. I drive 10 miles an hour. If the people don’t get out of my way, I’d like to bump them,” Bingham said. “A little civility might cure a lot of the problems there, seriously.”
In other matters, town commissioners:
• Approved a one-year extension for the owner of 6273 N. Ocean Blvd. to finish construction started in 2015. Under the agreement, the owner still has to get necessary town approvals for all modifications, has to put up $450,000 to cover the town’s costs in tearing down the building if the work isn’t completed on time, and has to reduce the size of a planned rooftop deck to about 2,200 square feet — which neighbors say is still too large. The vote was 4-1, with Commissioner Martin Wiescholek opposed.
• Learned that Town Clerk Karla Armstrong will be leaving to attend law school.
• Approved spending $59,844 to repair the Porter Street beach crossover, quadruple the $15,000 the town had budgeted for the work, with increased costs Town Manager Tracey Stevens said were “due to inflation from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.” The town will also spend $27,026 repairing brick sidewalks on Ocean Avenue east of the Intracoastal Waterway bridge. That cost is actually less than the $50,000 budgeted for it, because expected permitting through the Florida Department of Transportation will not be needed.
• Learned that the town was the victim of a $29,100 check fraud incident — one that may involve Postal Service employees. The checks in question were hand-delivered to a mail carrier at Town Hall, Stevens wrote in her commission report. Police are investigating.

By Larry Barszewski

Manalapan’s rising property values have town commissioners looking at many things they might like to do next year, given the extra tax dollars that would be available even if they don’t raise the property tax rate.
In fact, Manalapan commissioners say they want to lower the tax rate. Higher property assessments mean they can do that and still collect increased property taxes for their budget priorities.
The money could be used to pay for some water treatment plant improvements that have been delayed, or to start getting all residents off septic tanks and onto a sewer system, or possibly to give employees a one-time bonus on top of a 5% pay raise that’s already in Town Manager Linda Stumpf’s preliminary budget.
During a budget workshop on June 27, commissioners even talked about starting the process of eliminating power poles and placing utilities underground, but only because it might make sense to do it at the same time that sewer pipes are installed.
“It makes common sense that if you can do it, do it all at one time,” Mayor Keith Waters said of the suggestion by Commissioner John Deese. “If we want to look at that, that’s probably not a bad idea because sooner or later, you know, all these poles are going to have to come down at some point. It might as well be, with what we’re doing, sooner, in my opinion.”
If the town were to leave its tax rate unchanged of $3.17 for every $1,000 of assessed value, it would collect $1.2 million more in property taxes this year than it did last year because of the rising property values. Stumpf recommended lowering the tax rate while still allowing the town to collect more taxes from residents.
Under Stumpf’s proposal, the town would set a tax rate of $2.83 for every $1,000 of assessed value, which amounts to a 12.2% tax revenue increase. Commissioners said they’d prefer to see what might be accomplished with a tax rate of $3 for every $1,000 of assessed value, which would produce a 19% tax revenue increase. That would give commissioners $315,000 more to work with than in Stumpf’s preliminary $6 million operating and capital projects budget, and still be 5.3% under the current tax rate.
“I want to send a signal very clearly, that the millage rate is going to go down,” Waters said, referring to the tax rate.
Commissioners will set the town’s tentative tax rate at a 9:15 a.m. July 26 meeting before the regular 10 a.m. commission meeting. Residents will get notices of their proposed assessments in August, followed by public hearings in September before commissioners adopt a new budget and tax rate for the fiscal year that starts Oct. 1. The town taxes are only a portion of a resident’s total tax bill.
Highlights of the commission discussion around Stumpf’s preliminary budget include:
Succession plans: Stumpf, who plans to retire in two years, has also been handling the town finance director’s duties, something not typical of a town manager. The budget includes $39,000 to hire a CPA firm to take on those duties, which will make it easier for the town to fill her position.
In the Police Department, Chief Carmen Mattox wants to reinstate a lieutenant’s position by converting an existing position. While Mattox has no specific plans to retire, Waters said it would be good to have “somebody else who understands and knows the force” ready to take over.
Employee raises: Stumpf included 5% raises for employees after commissioners said earlier this year they would like to go above the typical 3% raises and keep the town competitive with other similarly sized local governments. When Deese talked about possibly going even higher, Waters warned that the town has to be careful about changes that can’t be reversed and could burden the town if property values plummet in the future. Deese said the commission might instead consider a “one-time bonus” that doesn’t get built into employee base salaries.
Security guard woes: Commissioners are looking at replacing the firm handling security at the guardhouse, a situation that Stumpf said “has become untenable” based on continuing complaints from residents. The firm recently added a Barcalounger in the guardhouse, she said. “The complaints I’m getting is that there’s no visible gate guard. When we drive by, they’re actually inside with the door shut, on their cellphone,” Chief Mattox said.
Moving building plans online: Town Clerk Erika Petersen said she is nearing the end of a project to scan all filed Building Department plans and place them online. About 9,000 documents remain and should be scanned during the next year, while all new filings are submitted online-ready.
Capital projects budget: Stumpf suggested almost doubling this year’s capital projects budget even before commissioners started talking about other things they might want to include. The amount Stumpf proposed for the projects increased from $292,615 in the current budget to $572,894. The main items are $166,684 to renovate the Police Department squad room at Town Hall and $134,715 for three new vehicles — two for the Police Department and the other for Stumpf.
Commissioners have a lot to consider about getting homes off septic and onto sewers.
“We’re going to have to do this sooner or later. We’ve guessed it’s like a 10-year window, but it’s a guess,” Waters said. “If we do the sewers now, we know that we can get some help” paying for the work from other governments, he said.
While Deese and the mayor said it seems to make sense to bury utility and sewer lines at the same time, public support has been mixed.
“I talked with dozens and dozens of people about undergrounding and natural gas, and not one of them was interested in moving to natural gas. They were all perfectly fine with propane and with the tanks,” Waters said.
“Undergrounding with the utilities was sort of up in the air, because half the people said it was a great idea aesthetically, but it really doesn’t have any bearing [logistically] because we’re attached above-ground going over to the mainland.”
Waters acknowledged that much of the natural gas opposition stemmed from the personal cost property owners would have been facing to connect.
If the town could pay for the additional construction needed through taxes, residents probably would have much greater buy-in, he said.

By Joe Capozzi

Just in time for the Fourth of July, the Town Council passed a new law regulating fireworks displays in Briny Breezes.
The measure requires a town permit for any fireworks or pyrotechnical displays, along with liability insurance and a performance bond. The nonrefundable permit fee is $1,000.
The fireworks regulations are part of an ordinance banning the release of balloons and sky lanterns in town as a tool to protect the environment and reduce trash on beaches where sea turtles nest.
When Alderwoman Christina Adams proposed the anti-balloon ordinance, the council felt it made sense to add the fireworks regulations.  
“It’s an important one for our environment,’’ Adams said after the council’s unanimous vote to approve the ordinance on second reading June 23. “Hopefully our neighboring towns will follow suit.’’
With the Fourth of July just around the corner, council President Sue Thaler suggested the corporation put out an email blast “telling people you can’t be setting off fireworks without a permit.’’
Asked if fireworks are a problem in Briny, Ocean Ridge Police Chief Richard Jones said: “We have never had any more of a problem than we have in Ocean Ridge. It is usually confined to holidays like the Fourth of July so it is somewhat expected. We ask that everyone in Briny obey the ordinance so that we are not required to conduct any enforcement action on a holiday.”
At a council workshop June 23, Briny’s sea wall replacement project dominated discussion of Town Manager William Thrasher’s budget proposal for the 2022-23 fiscal year.
Along with increased costs for police and fire services, the $1.4 million spending plan includes a new reserve fund of $200,479 for matching grant requirements and $30,000 for a sea-wall-funding lobbyist in Tallahassee.
Requests in the budget’s property fund include $20,000 for engineering services, up from $7,500 in the current budget, and $13,800 for legal services, up from $10,000. 
Asked by Thaler about those increases, Thrasher didn’t offer specifics about the engineering services, but said the increases for legal services are related to the sea wall project. 
“I think we’re going to run into some headwind in regards to how we approach contracts going forward, particularly in ’23 for the proposed sea wall enhancement project. I’d rather be on the high side than the low side,’’ he said. 
Officials with Briny Breezes Corp. said they were uncomfortable with the town putting $200,000 in the reserve fund when shareholders are being asked to pay $207,600 for police and fire and $320,000 for water and sewer. Last year, the corporation paid $192,700 for police and fire and nearly $276,000 for water and sewer.
“If the town’s got more money, then the amount the corporation is deficit-funding the town should really come down,’’ said Michael Gallacher, the corporation’s general manager.  
Thrasher said the sea wall project will cost millions and won’t happen without money from state and federal matching grants. A future council could reallocate the reserves for other uses if the grants for the sea wall don’t come through, he said.  “You have to start somewhere,’’ he said. “If we don’t start now, we for sure won’t be in a position to match funds.’’
The budget will be discussed again at a workshop July 28. A meeting about the sea wall enhancement project will be held later this year, when more residents are in town, Thrasher said.

ABOVE: Inside the terminal, a portion of the second floor will be removed to create a two-story entryway. BELOW RIGHT: The new passenger waiting area. Renderings provided

By Larry Keller

Boca Raton is a city with an ample number of cosmetic surgeons serving its residents, and now its airport has an appointment for a $40 million face-lift.
Atlantic Aviation and the Boca Raton Airport have signed a new 40-year ground lease in which Atlantic will commit $40 million over the next seven years to replace and add new hangars and make improvements to parking areas and an office building.
Atlantic, which operates in 30 states, is one of two fixed base operators at the airport that provide maintenance, fueling, hangar and tie-down space and other services.
“It’s an opportunity to modernize, revitalize,” said Clara Bennett, executive director of the Boca Raton Airport Authority. And that’s something that’s needed.
“It’s a modernization of facilities that were built over 30 years ago,” Bennett said. “The aircraft are getting bigger. Because some of these hangars were built in the ’80s and early ’90s, they were built with lower door heights … that cannot accommodate the newer fleet that have taller tails and longer wingspans.”
The Boca Raton Airport is a general aviation facility. It has no commercial flights but serves private aviation and charters and is the site of Lynn University’s flight school.
A seven-member airport authority board operates the 214-acre airfield and leases 41 acres to Atlantic. The new lease was effective June 1, replacing one set to expire in 2033.
The original lease dates back to the 1980s, and there had been 22 amendments over the years, Bennett said. Atlantic maintains structures on the leased land and subleases space to tenants such as aircraft maintenance and charter aviation companies. The company also derives income from sources such as hangar rentals and fuel sales.
Atlantic hopes to break ground by the end of this year and to complete much of the construction of hangars and the airport’s Executive Terminal and office space building within five years of the start of work.

Replacing old hangars with new ones will add about 50,000 square feet of hangar space, and a new fuel storage tank will be built. Those changes are highlighted in blue.

Five hangars will be razed and new ones built resulting in a net increase of about 50,000 square feet of hangar space, said Tony Sherbert, Atlantic’s regional director. For 30 years Atlantic will own the new hangars it builds, after which ownership transfers to the airport authority, he added.
Atlantic also will resurface about 710,000 square feet of ramp or tarmac space and add another estimated 50,000 square feet of space. It also will build a new 90,000-gallon fuel storage tank.
“I think the biggest difference for the passengers of the aircraft is going to be noticeable in the Executive Terminal building,” Bennett said. “It’s pretty dated.”
Plans include eliminating a portion of the second floor to create a two-story entryway, Sherbert said.
In addition to better hangars and a smoother tarmac, pilots “will experience better service levels as well,” Bennett added.
The future upgrades by Atlantic are in addition to millions of dollars spent in capital infrastructure improvements in recent years, Bennett noted. They include widening taxiways, replacing and expanding storm drains and drainage infrastructure and resurfacing the sole runway.
It all amounts to a dramatic expansion from when the airport was built in 1936 and Boca Raton’s population was less than 1% of what it is now.
It became a military airfield in World War II where flight crews were trained in the use of radar, a fledgling technology at the time. The land was later transferred to the state, and 1,000 acres was designated for educational use and became the site of Florida Atlantic University.
The airport has undergone significant changes in the 21st century. The control tower opened in 2000, and a U.S. Customs and Border Protection inspection facility began operating in 2018. It enables international travelers to fly directly to Boca Raton without stopping first at another airport to clear Customs.
Today, Bennett said, there are 209 aircraft based at the airport including 70 jets and 107 single-engine planes.

By Mary Hladky

Taxable values of Palm Beach County properties have surged more than any year since 2006.
That year, countywide taxable values jumped by a whopping 23%. The Great Recession halted the meteoric rise, with the county experiencing significant decreases for four consecutive years beginning in 2008.
They rebounded into positive territory in 2012 and recently have shown steady growth of about 6% a year.
But a white-hot real estate market and a spike in new construction boosted taxable values by double digits countywide and in all but seven municipalities last year.
Revised preliminary numbers issued by Property Appraiser Dorothy Jacks on June 28 show countywide values increased by 15.2%, up from 5.8% the previous year. The numbers are based on market conditions as of Jan. 1, 2022.
All southeast county municipalities saw strong gains, with Manalapan’s 28.2% jump, Ocean Ridge’s 18.3% rise and Boynton Beach’s 16.5% increase outpacing the rest.
Boca Raton’s taxable values rose 14.5%, up from last year’s 3.8%, according to Jacks’ most recent valuations. Delray Beach’s went up 15.4%, an increase from 5.4%; Briny Breezes’ rose by 13.6%, up from 10.4%; Gulf Stream’s by 13%, up from 2.5%; Highland Beach’s by 13.8%, up from 3.5%; Lantana’s by 15.8%, up from 9.3%; and South Palm Beach’s by 12.7%, up from 4.4%.
The soaring valuations will translate into higher property tax bills for homeowners unless the county and municipalities reduce their tax rates, a potential outcome that has raised alarms at a time when inflation and rising interest rates are straining family budgets.
Pedro Garcia, Miami-Dade’s property appraiser, has sent a memo to county commissioners urging elected officials across that county and its School Board to cut the tax rate to provide relief to homeowners, the Miami Herald has reported.
Palm Beach County Mayor Robert Weinroth said county commissioners should consider reducing the tax rate to offset a tax bill increase, according to the Palm Beach Post.
Jacks, in an interview with The Coastal Star, was careful to stay in her lane. “It is not my place to counsel (other elected officials) on anything,” she said.
But Jacks noted that if taxable values rise and the tax rates stay the same, the county and municipalities will collect more revenue.
“If they need the same amount of money (as last year), maybe they can reduce the rate and keep your taxes about the same. If the values go up and rates go up, the taxpayer is not getting a benefit from increased value.”
She then added, “I think tax reduction is a great thing, especially for the folks who are paying taxes.”
Boca Raton officials pride themselves on their city’s low tax rate, which is possible because the city has the strongest tax base in the county.
“I will not vote for a millage increase,” said Mayor Scott Singer. “That is clear.”
Beyond that, Singer said in mid-June that it is too early in the city’s budget and tax-rate-setting process to say what will happen.
Boca, like all cities, is facing rising costs for supplies, equipment and building projects due to price increases and supply chain issues. The growing city also needs to hire more employees to keep service levels high, and to retain existing employees.
“Given the incredible inflationary environment, challenges to get staff, cost of construction materials, cost of gasoline, it is hard to say today what if any decrease in the millage rate we will have,” Singer said.
“Regardless, if there is no millage rate increase … we will continue to have one of the lowest millage rates of any full-service city in Florida.”
Manalapan Town Manager Linda Stumpf attributed her town’s enormous taxable value jump to the construction of new estate homes.
It is welcome news since the additional revenue “gives me a little bit of flexibility” on buying equipment the town needs and increasing staffing, she said.
Contacted on June 22, Stumpf noted that the town’s budget for next fiscal year was not yet finalized and no tax rate had been set.
“I anticipate it will be reduced,” she said. “How much I can’t tell you.”
Ocean Ridge Town Manager Tracey Stevens said her town’s strong taxable value showing is the result of continuing tear-downs and rebuilding of single-family homes and skyrocketing real estate values.
Speaking in mid-June, she said it is too soon to know what will happen with the tax rate, although the Town Commission had instructed her in early June to keep it at last year’s $5.50 for every $1,000 of assessed value.
The additional revenue that rate will bring in would pay for deferred maintenance and capital projects such as stormwater drainage.
The commission’s stance could change though, she said, after public hearings on the budget and tax rate this summer.
While taxable values have increased substantially, they do not fully reflect how much property values have increased as demand exceeds supply.
Homeowners don’t feel the full brunt of rising property values because state law caps the taxable value increase to 3% for homesteaded properties. Non-homesteaded properties are capped at 10%.
Another factor is that many properties such as churches and schools are tax-exempt.
In May, the median sale price of a single-family home in the county rose to a record $615,000, up $14,000 since April and 30% more than one year ago, according to Broward, Palm Beaches and St. Lucie Realtors. The average sale price topped $1 million.
There are signs, however, that the market is cooling off, in part because of increasing interest rates. But since the market has been so strong during the first six months of this year, Jacks anticipates valuation increases next year.
Local governments are reluctant to raise tax rates, a politically problematic step. When taxable values rise, they often reduce the tax rate a bit, but not enough to avoid a tax increase.
To prevent a tax increase altogether, elected officials would have to use the “rolled-back” rate, which state law requires them to calculate. That rate would generate the same amount of property tax revenue as the previous year. But again, officials are always in need of more revenue and rarely do that.
New construction has soared in the county to $4.4 billion, up from last year’s $3.2 billion.
The largest projects added to the tax roll this year in Delray Beach are the Ray Hotel at 223 NE Second Ave. in Pineapple Grove, the Delray Beach Market food hall at 33 SE Third Ave., and the estate home at 707 N. Ocean Blvd., according to the property appraiser’s office.
The largest Boca Raton projects are Aura Boca, a luxury apartment project at 789 W. Yamato Road, a single-family home built in 2021 at 450 E. Coconut Palm Road, and another new home built last year at 1908 Royal Palm Way.
In Boynton Beach, the projects are Quantum Lake Villas West apartments near the intersection of Gateway Boulevard and Quantum Lakes Drive, a single-family home at 634 Windward Circle South in the gated Casa Del Mar community, and a McDonald’s at 1701 S. Congress Ave.
Municipalities and the county will hold public hearings this summer on their new budgets and proposed tax rates. Final action on tax rates typically takes place in September.

Republicans from Boca Raton to South Palm Beach will head to the polls Aug. 23 to pick candidates for two Florida House seats and one Senate seat in unfamiliar districts — the result of voting maps that were redrawn this year after the 2020 Census.
Qualified to run in the new House District 91 are Highland Beach Commissioner Peggy Gossett-Seidman and Christina DuCasse, a Boca Del Mar resident whose husband is a Boca Raton firefighter/paramedic. The winner will take on Boca Raton City Council member Andy Thomson, a Democrat, on Nov. 8.
The seat opened up when Democratic incumbent Emily Slosberg-King decided not to seek re-election. To run for state office, Gossett-Seidman and Thomson had to announce their resignation from their current municipal posts effective after the November contest.
In House District 87, which now includes Manalapan, Lantana and South Palm Beach, Mike Caruso, who has represented the barrier island from Boca through South Palm Beach and beyond since 2018, will square off against Jane Justice, a real estate agent from Greenacres. The winner will be on the November ballot with Democrat Sienna Osta, a West Palm Beach lawyer. If Caruso wins, he will have to move north from Delray Beach to his new district.
There will be no primary for incumbent Democrat Joe Casello, whose redrawn District 90 now includes the barrier island from Ocean Ridge through Delray Beach that Caruso formerly represented. The Nov. 8 ballot will pair Casello with educator Keith Feit, a Boynton Beach Republican.
And in Senate District 26, which covers north Boca Raton through Ocean Ridge on the island, Bill Wheelen, a county party insider from Wellington who started the year campaigning for Congress, will face off against Steve Byers, a beekeeper from west of Delray Beach. The winner will face incumbent Lori Berman, a Delray Beach Democrat, in the fall.

— Steve Plunkett

Preliminary plans for Affiliated Development’s eight-story, $73 million project in downtown Boynton Beach. The plan will be fine-tuned after details are worked out with the city and existing store owners. Rendering provided

By Tao Woolfe

The future of downtown Boynton Beach development has become clearer in the past few weeks with city approval of a $73 million mixed-use complex and of a new restaurant in and around a historic home, plus action aimed at building a new post office downtown.
The biggest of these projects will be Affiliated Development’s apartment and retail complex along the west side of Federal Highway south of Boynton Beach Boulevard.
The Boynton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency and the developer have agreed on two long-negotiated sticking points in Affiliated’s contract with the CRA.
Although a few details are still pending, the City Commission, serving as CRA board, on June 7 unanimously cleared the way for the project, which includes both affordable and market-rate apartments, restaurants, office, retail, a parking garage and green space.
Construction could begin as soon as 18 months from now, if the developer can quickly obtain the needed land use and land development approvals, Thuy Shutt, the CRA’s executive director, said after the meeting.
The plan provides a new home for Hurricane Alley, a popular bar and restaurant, on Northeast Fourth Street. The new site will have with an outdoor area, as well as 3,000 square feet of indoor seating, according to the plan.
Ace Hardware and other businesses in the area would not be affected, Shutt said.
The city and the Fort Lauderdale-based developer spent months hammering out compromises on the $5.5 million, below-market price Affiliated will pay for the land; on public spaces in the 545-space free-standing, multilevel parking garage; and the number of affordable apartments.
Under the almost-final agreement, the parking garage will provide 150 spaces — above those required by city code — for public use. If Affiliated needs more spaces (up to a maximum of 10), it must lease them from the CRA.
The developer also agreed to provide affordable rental apartment units with this breakdown: 50% (118 units) of the total 236 apartments will remain affordable for 15 years; 30% (about 70 units) will remain affordable for 30 years; and 5% (11 units) will remain affordable in perpetuity.

Plans for new post office
The CRA board voted at its June 14 meeting to seek proposals for a mixed-use commercial space at 401-411 E. Boynton Beach Blvd. that could serve as a new home for the downtown post office.
The existing building at this location, which is owned by the CRA, would be demolished. A newly constructed building would house the United States Post Office, currently at 217 N. Seacrest Blvd., on the first floor.
Other businesses — such as medical offices and/or a tourist information center — could be housed on other floors of a new building, Mayor Ty Penserga suggested.
“Let’s let the developer community come up with something creative,” the mayor said.
Meanwhile, the CRA is expected to acquire the building on North Seacrest in January from the current owners and then, possibly, extend the post office’s lease until a new location is available.
Rich Hancock, a spokesman for USPS, said the post office is committed to staying in downtown Boynton and would be amenable to a new space as long as it can provide 3,200 square feet of retail storefront space and at least 20 parking spaces.
“We are not looking to purchase anything,” Hancock said, but USPS hopes to lease space to establish a “long-term postal unit.”

Broadstone project
The impending construction of the Broadstone Boynton Beach, a 2.76-acre mixed-use complex at South Federal Highway and Southeast First Avenue, will displace 20 employee parking spaces for Two Georges Waterfront Grille.
Fernando Bonilla, of the developer Alliance Residential Co., asked the CRA board on June 14 to allow the temporary use of the CRA-owned parking lots at 115 N. Federal Highway to accommodate the employees.
Alliance was offering to lease the parking lots, but Penserga said he did not want to commit to the deal because it could mean depriving Hurricane Alley of parking spaces and it would be difficult for the city to police the lots.
“Public parking spaces are precious,” the mayor said, and suggested that Alliance approach other businesses for temporary spaces.
Construction on the eight-story Broadstone complex, with 274 multi-family units and ground floor commercial space, is expected to begin in September.

Pauline’s restaurant
The historic Oscar Magnuson house, at 211 E. Ocean Ave., is the future home of an American-style restaurant that will be open seven days a week.
Anthony Barber, the new owner of the site, told the City Commission on June 21 that he hopes to open in the next 18 months. He will renovate the two-story house, which was built in 1919, for inside dining.
More immediate, Barber said, he is planning to use big shipping containers for the kitchen area, walk-in food storage, restrooms, an artisan bar, and a rotisserie grilling area.
Barber, who owns Troy’s Barbeque in West Palm Beach and on Federal south of Woolbright Road in Boynton, said he has lived in Boynton Beach for 35 years and looks forward to opening a restaurant in his home city’s downtown.
“This project is very special to me,” Barber said, adding that he will name the restaurant Pauline’s, after his grandmother.
The restaurant will employ some 30 people, Barber said, and he will not seek a loan to finance the venture. Rodney Mayo of the Subculture Group has told the CRA he is providing $1 million in financial backing for Barber’s restaurant and the needed renovations.
“We’re partners in the restaurant as well as the property. We’re planning on going into the venture together,” Mayo said in December.
City commissioners unanimously gave preliminary approval to the restaurant.
“Thank you for investing in your city,” said Commissioner Thomas Turkin.
“Congratulations,” said Commissioner Woodrow Hay. “It’s high time we invested back in our own community — especially minority entrepreneurs like yourself.”

James Muir opened Nicholson Muir Meats this year in a historic home on Ocean Avenue in Boynton Beach. BELOW RIGHT: The butcher shop also has a small restaurant and sitting area. Photos provided

By Christine Davis

Passers-by will notice the old Ruth Jones Cottage at 480 E. Ocean Ave. in Boynton Beach has a new occupant — one that is already drawing meat lovers from all around.
The new tenant is Nicholson Muir Meats, a gourmet butcher shop with a small restaurant that has been open since the end of February. The meat market specializes in wagyu beef from ranches in Australia, Japan and the United States, says business owner James Muir.
The historic Jones cottage, moved to the Ocean Avenue site 11 years ago, was occupied by the Little House Restaurant and later Chez Andrea Gourmet Provence, which opened during the pandemic and closed in January 2021.
Muir, who was born in Argentina and moved to the United States when he was 10, studied at the French Culinary Institute, worked at Ian Shrager Hotels and later with chef Rocco DiSpirito in New York.
Before moving to Boynton Beach three years ago, Muir owned his own catering company and restaurant on Long Island. The restaurant, Artaux, received an “excellent” review in 2015 from The New York Times. Although the dining spot has since closed, the catering company remains in business.
Muir and his wife, Jennifer, a dentist, have one son, Bruce, 6.
Nicholson Muir Meats concentrates on high-end products and a wide variety of retail items to accompany the steaks — prepared foods, salads, grab-and-go spices, and wine.
“We cut meats to the customers’ preference and tell them how to cook it,” Muir said. “We even have links to different videos that show you how to cook the steaks.”
The restaurant is small, with seating for 12 at a table and six more at the bar.
It has options for vegetarians, including quiches, empanadas and salads. Catering service is also available.
Reservations aren’t essential but “are always a good idea,” Muir says. “We try to make it more like a restaurant, but, honestly, we don’t want to be a restaurant. We’re a butcher that cooks for you.”
How does Nicholson Muir Meats differ from its neighbor, the Butcher and the Bar at 510 E. Ocean Ave.?
“They do all Florida cattle and we do everything except Florida,” Muir explains. “They are more a restaurant and bar, and we are more of a butcher shop where if you want to sit down, we’ll cook for you. Service is very informal.
“We do have beer and wine but we have a less formal atmosphere and we’re not open for dinner. We do Saturday tasting menus twice a month, which you need to reserve ahead of time. We focus mainly on the butcher and meats.”
Hours are 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on Sunday; closed on Monday.

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More than 100 restaurants throughout 39 municipalities from Boca Raton to Jupiter are participating in The Palm Beaches Restaurant Month, Aug. 1-31. That’s good news for tourists and local foodies who can cash in on great deals, prix fixe menus, and specialty drinks and dishes all month long.
Restaurant Month, organized through Discover the Palm Beaches, encourages folks to get out, support and sample an array of eateries that make up the local culinary culture.
“We have neighborhood favorites and local mainstays participating as well as highly regarded restaurants with celebrity chefs and exciting new hot spots,” Jorge Pesquera, CEO of Discover the Palm Beaches, said in a news release. “We’re continuing to secure new restaurants throughout the destination and look forward to offering more options than ever before in August.”
Go to PalmBeachesDining.com to browse participating restaurants and menus, and filter by the type of cuisine.
Tickets aren’t necessary, but reservations are encouraged. The website will incorporate the Open Table site to make reservations easily accessible. 
Other foodie-specific events around Palm Beach County include Bon Appetit Boca in July (www.bocarestaurantmonth.com), and in September, Flavor Palm Beach (www.flavorpb.com) and Downtown Delray Beach Restaurant Month (downtowndelraybeach.com/restaurantmonth).

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John Kelly, the seventh person to serve as Florida Atlantic University’s president, will step down at the end of this year.
He will remain with FAU, serving as the university’s president emeritus and focusing on its research capabilities.
The transition was announced on June 20 by Brad Levine, chair of the FAU Board of Trustees, in an open letter to the FAU community.
An interim president will be appointed to serve while a national search is conducted to replace Kelly, Levine said.
Kelly joined FAU as president in 2014 from Clemson University, where he had served in several administrative positions.
“My decision to step aside as Florida Atlantic University president comes at a time that I believe is not only right for me personally, but also for the university,” Kelly said in a statement. “My new role as university president emeritus will afford me the time and flexibility to complete certain projects that are important to me personally, and are important to the Board of Trustees.”
Levine praised Kelly’s accomplishments, including conceiving of the Schmidt Family Complex for Academic and Athletic Excellence and improving FAU’s ranking in the state university system.

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FAU’s Daniel Flynn, Ph.D., won a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program award in May for the 2022-2023 academic year.
Flynn, a university vice president, steers all research-related endeavors at FAU’s six regional campuses and is a catalyst for emerging programs that support local entre-preneurship and economic development.
The award was given by the State Department and Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board.
The Fulbright is the government’s leading educational and cultural affairs program and offers renowned students and accomplished professors support to pursue research and professional projects in partnership with more than 160 countries.
Flynn, who has a doctorate in microbiology, spent more than 20 years in various research-related roles in the fields of cancer cell biology and breast cancer invasion before transitioning into research administration in 2008 and coming to work for FAU in 2015.
As part of the program, Flynn will take part in a two-week group seminar in France to acquaint higher education administrators from America with France’s education and research systems.
“The power of impactful research comes to fruition when discoveries are translated into improved efforts — whether it be innovations in technology, drugs, policy, etc. — that ultimately improve our lives and those lives around us,” Flynn said in a news release.
After the seminar, Flynn says he plans to introduce learned best practices to researchers at FAU, establishing a platform for collaborations with FAU and French scientists.

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Lauren B. Trotta, Ph.D., has joined the Institute for Regional Conservation in Delray Beach as a biodiversity conservation fellow, thanks to support from the National Parks Conservation Association. 
Trotta will help with the effort to conduct a 20-year review of IRC’s Rare Plants of South Florida, a book published in 2002. The publication came after an intensive seven years of work by IRC and collaborators and documented the status of the rarest 25% of South Florida’s native plants, including more than 100 that may have been extinct in the region. The book’s release was followed by land manager workshops and a surge of plant survey and study work by IRC and others.
A Connecticut native, Trotta has a bachelor’s degree in biology from Providence College in Rhode Island, and a master’s and doctorate in wildlife ecology and conservation from the University of Florida.
Previously, Trotta’s research experience focused on understanding the drivers of floristic diversity in Miami-Dade’s urban pine rock land habitat fragments.
Melissa Abdo, director of the Sun Coast regional office of the National Parks Conservation Association, applauded IRC’s long-term efforts to study and share regional biodiversity information and to connect communities in South Florida to their natural heritage.
South Florida is unique in that its ecosystem is anchored by large national preserve and park sites — Big Cypress, the Everglades, and Biscayne — as well as a mosaic of other protected lands and waters such as national wildlife refuges, state and local parks, and even backyard habitats.
“Bringing a lens of science to understanding how rare plant diversity is conserved across these parks of South Florida will bring such value to our community,” Abdo said in a news release.

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Two major awards were presented at the annual meeting of the Boca Raton Historical Society on May 18 at the Schmidt Boca Raton History Museum.
The Myrtle Butts Fleming Award, named after one of the Historical Society founders, was given to volunteer Barbara Montgomery O’Connell by Executive Director Mary Csar.
The new Dave Ashe Award, named after another founding member, was given posthumously to Linda Prowe Jackson. She moved to Boca Raton in 1957 and later served as the museum’s ambassador to Boca High School alumni and other longtime residents, urging them to contribute to the Historical Society’s vast array of Boca collectibles as Ashe did before he died in 2015 at age 90.
“Linda believed in her city and the importance of history as a guide for the present and future generations,” Historical Society curator Susan Gillis said in a news release. “We lost her last year at much too young an age, but we are pleased to honor her memory by naming her the first recipient of this award and we’re so pleased that it was accepted by her grandson Connor Jackson.”
The Schmidt Boca Raton History Museum is the home of the Boca Raton Historical Society, whose mission is to collect, preserve and present information and artifacts relevant to the past and evolving history of Boca Raton. It also aims to maintain a visible role in education and advocacy of historic preservation in the community.
Open Wednesday through Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., the museum is in historic Town Hall at 71 N. Federal Highway. For more information, call 561-395-6766 or visit www.BocaHistory.org.

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Stacee Lanz, special events coordinator for the city of Boca Raton, was recently named “Most Valuable Events Person” by the Greater Miami Festivals and Events Association at its ninth annual conference and exhibition.
“This designation by an organization of my peers is a tremendous honor,” said Lanz, who joined the city in 2003 as special events coordinator.
“We are very proud of Stacee, whose talent and dedication make her an integral part of our team,” Amy DiNorscio, amphitheater and community events manager for the city, said in a statement.
Lanz, along with three others, was nominated by the festivals and events group and won via a popular vote that took place online.
“We applaud Stacee for her accomplishments and commitment to excellence in event planning,” said Amanda MacMaster, executive director of the association.

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Melissa Perlman, president of the Gold Coast PR Council — South Florida’s largest independent association of public relations, communications and marketing professionals — announced this year’s Bernays Award nominees. The awards, given since 2005, honor excellence in local public relations campaigns, marketing programs and media coverage.
The honors will be presented at the council’s 17th annual Bernays Awards luncheon on July 21 at the Delray Beach Golf Club. Tickets are $35 and can be purchased at www.eventbrite.com/e/bernays-awards-2022-presented-by-gold-coast-pr-council-tickets-355212759927. 
T.A. Walker, the Taste & See reporter at WPTV News 5, will emcee the luncheon. Honors will be presented in 10 competitive categories along with four special awards selected by the nonprofit organization’s board of directors.
Only one award winner is announced in advance, the prestigious Presidents Award, which is given to a person or organization for truly outstanding performance. This year’s recipient is Rick Christie, executive editor of The Palm Beach Post, for keeping the daily newspaper running and relevant, breaking major news during a time when the viability of print journalism is under attack, both politically and financially.
In addition to the Presidents Award, three other board-selected awards will be given: PR Star, which goes to a person or organization that made an extraordinary difference last year; the Founders Award, which goes to a person or organization that has made a lasting contribution to Gold Coast PR; and a new award that will be revealed at the luncheon.  
For more information about the Gold Coast PR Council, visit www.goldcoastprcouncil.com.

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James Shaw, chairman of the ACLU of Florida’s legal panel, will talk about the state of civil rights in Florida and changes in the law from this year’s legislative session during a Zoom discussion on July 15. Sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Palm Beach County, the Hot Topic discussion begins at noon and is open to all concerned citizens.
To register, go to https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register WN_PQJV197mSSWqCAMg49SLQA.

Steve Plunkett, Mary Thurwachter and Mary Hladky contributed to this column.
Send business news to Christine Davis at cdavis9797@gmail.com.

Ellie and Bob Smela, who opened Ellie’s ’50s Diner in 1990, are retiring. The restaurant will close July 10. That’s Ellie depicted on the sign, sporting a poodle skirt. Photos by Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

Ellie’s ’50s Diner is closing after 32 years of serving comfort food with a side of nostalgia

By Jan Norris

Bobby Darin is jiving out Mack the Knife on the jukebox this afternoon at Ellie’s ’50s Diner. But soon, it’ll be The Spaniels, with their classic closing song, Goodnite, Sweetheart, Goodnite.

That will signal the end for the retro diner in Delray Beach owned by Ellie and Bob Smela, who agree, “Well, it’s time to go.”

The iconic building with the neon and ’57 Chevy on its sign at 2410 N. Federal Highway has been sold. Ellie’s will close for good July 10.

The Smelas sat in the diner, telling their story. Ellie was dressed like a sock hopper: a pink poodle skirt, scarf around her neck, pearl bracelets. Her nails and lipstick were bubblegum pink. You could expect a song from Grease was about to play.

But they were chronicling the end of this fantasy theme — the stark contrast between today and the 1950s.

A combination of skyrocketing food costs, broken supply chains, an unpredictable labor force and a 364-day-a-year job has the couple looking forward to retiring.

They’ll be doing some “road trips” and winding down at their second place, a family farm homestead, in Cedarburg, Wisconsin, Bob said.

Bob Smela says Ellie’s ’50s Diner has been busier than normal for this time of year since he and Ellie announced it would close July 10. The diner is at 2410 N. Federal Highway in Delray Beach. Call 561-276-1570 or visit www.elliescatering.com for more information.

They started out in the food business opening Ellie’s Deli, a sandwich shop, on what was then Delray’s Northeast Eighth Street (now George Bush Boulevard) in 1982. From that, they also ran three food trucks that serviced the area’s warehouses, construction sites and spots like the flea market and car dealerships.

The Smelas opened the diner in 1990 after Bob told Ellie, “We’re not making enough money.”

He said, “I had to find a building for us to expand.”

They found the property that originally housed a Dairy Queen and then the Bahama Smokehouse.

“People told me I was crazy buying here. It was a bad part of town at that time,” he said.

Ellie said their neighbors were “a pawn shop, a dirty bookstore and something else across the street, a sub shop or something.”

The main drag was populated with “prostitutes walking up and down the street, among other questionable people,” Bob said.

They persevered, and reconstructed the building for a small diner, about 80 seats. Eventually they added a back room with 40 more seats, and later, an event center where weddings and lively New Year’s Eve parties took place.

Ellie designed and Bob built out the restaurant, gathering nostalgic pieces for decor, and hiring servers with personalities.

One who’s worked here for decades, Donna Giordano, plays the role of crabby server. “People love her, they ask for her,” Ellie said. “When someone says it’s their birthday, she’ll say, ‘Oh, bummer!’”

It’s all part of the fun atmosphere, a throwback to the ’50s diners along the East Coast, Bob said. Those eateries coincided with the birth of rock ’n’ roll, teens coming of age, and cars that were showy works of art. They also served the average worker solid, if plain, comfort food at reasonable prices.

Kitsch decor a hit

This Marilyn Monroe likeness ($1,300) and other artwork at the diner were sold.

There’s a kitsch factor that “makes everyone smile,” Ellie said. Elvis, Marilyn and Sinatra are life-size cutouts set around the rooms and pasted on restroom doors. Bettie Page, James Dean, Charlie Chaplin and John Wayne, too.

No matter if some diners are more in tune with Green Day than Blue Suede Shoes, everyone seems to enjoy it, she said.

Pink and aqua neon strips frame the ceiling. The front counter is a Formica pattern called Boomerang, a design found in 1950s kitchens everywhere, and the swivel stools of chrome and leatherette.

A “Lost in the ’50s” sign hangs over the service window and a Coca-Cola red and white clock keeps time above the milkshake machine. High school graduation portraits of guys with outgrown crew cuts in skinny ties line the front wall.

All of it is now for sale.

Live entertainment they introduced proved to be a draw. Elvis impersonators were popular on Valentine’s Day, and the Beatles tribute band from Orlando, which appeared more than once, played to sold-out crowds.

“We have a Neil Diamond impersonator — Neil Zirconia — who performs with his wife. He’s very popular, too,” Ellie said.

The vintage car shows held monthly in the parking lot drew hundreds of enthusiasts as well. One last, huge car show was held in mid-June — with another record-setting crowd.

Regulars were like family

Bob Smela says hello to Libby Vollmer, who with her husband, Jack, are longtime customers and huge fans of Ellie’s ’50s Diner.

The Smelas got to know most of their regulars by name.

“Remember Ed? He came in for breakfast for 25 years or more,” Bob said. “He sat in booth No. 5 and brought his crossword puzzle. He was 98, and still sharp.”
Ed’s daughter told them about his death last month. “When we don’t see our regulars for a while we wonder what happened,” Ellie said.

The Smelas’ family-like friendliness is what attracted Libby and Jack Vollmer. They’ve been coming to Ellie’s for decades, mostly for breakfast or lunch on Sundays.
“It’s such a great atmosphere,” Libby said. “It’s so bright and cheerful. We love the waitresses. They seem like they really enjoy their job and are like family. Bob and Ellie treat them very well.”

Ingrid Paoletti, since the beginning, and Heather Gordon, for three months, have been part of the diner’s staff.

The Vollmers, now in Boynton Beach, came to Delray Beach in 1965, and lament the closing as yet another iconic Delray spot gone. “Few older businesses are still here. The Patio, Ernie’s Tap Room, Hand’s, Wenzel’s — all the names are gone. And now Ellie’s. We’re sad about it,” Libby said. “They were part of a tradition. We don’t know where we’ll go now.”

Bob Smela is worried that a lot of his diners won’t have a place to get the quality food Ellie’s served, such as the restaurant’s most popular dish, turkey dinner.

“We cooked whole turkeys on the bone and made mashed potatoes from scratch. We have a machine in the back that peels 25 pounds at a time in three minutes, and another one to mix them,” he said.

The prime rib nights were noteworthy as well. “We cook them in the Alto-Shaam,” he said, referring to a specific roasting oven. “It comes out perfect.”

Other foods such as fried bologna and liverwurst were items not found on most menus and came from Boar’s Head, he said.

“They had liver and onions, too,” Libby Vollmer said. “All their food was great.”

Ellie’s own Elvis cake, a pineapple-walnut cake with cream-cheese icing, was a shop favorite. “She makes two or three a week and they sell out,” Bob said.

“That reminds me, I need to call George and tell him I’m making one,” she said. George is another regular who always buys two slices — one to eat and one to go. “He loves it.”

The people, new and old, were the best part of the diner, the Smelas said, and the part they’ll miss most about it all.

“You have to like people to be in this business,” Bob said. It gave him joy, he said, to serve quality food and see people return for it.

They’ve found a bigger audience since the closing was announced.

“We’ve been busier than any other time pre-COVID for this time of year. Once people heard we were closing, they rushed in,” Bob said. “Maybe we shouldn’t have closed.”
He looked at Ellie and she shook her head.

Would you do it again? he was asked.

Both shook their heads at once. “It’s too hard,” Ellie said.

“No way,” he said. “I couldn’t afford it.”

He pointed to rents on Atlantic Avenue. “They’re insane.” The only way to make money is to own the land under you, he said, and even that’s iffy today. He’s glad to be selling with the real estate market on the upswing.

He’s unsure whether the new owners, whom he declined to identify, will keep the property a restaurant, but says it’s possible, since they’ve asked for the kitchen equipment to stay.

He wishes them well but shakes his head.

“I’m going to be a consultant to others who want to open a restaurant. I will try to talk them out of it.”

Pink Poodles, with vodka and pomegranate, and mojitos are offered at Corvina. Photo provided by Svetlana Davis

By Jan Norris

The summer doldrums are about to hit, with no holidays or formal excuses to party.

Since people lucky enough to have Northern retreats have fled the heat, it’s left to the locals to get in on the dining deals available during the summer.

Here are a few we know of, along with happy hour specials for people who like to dine early.

Corvina Seafood Grill in Boca Raton has a number of drink specials, as well as a longish happy hour even on weekends — a rarity.

The weekly specials are:

Sunday Sipping: half-price bottles of wine (for wines under $100) with an entree, along with happy hour 4-7 p.m.

Martini Monday: Half-price martinis when you dine at the restaurant, and happy hour 4-7 p.m.

Taco Tuesday: $9 fish tacos and $5 margaritas all night and happy hour 4-7 p.m.

Hump-day Wednesday: Extended happy hour, 4-9 p.m., $6 cocktails and $6 wines.

Half-price Oyster Night Thursday: Half-price oysters by the half dozen, along with happy hour 4-7 p.m.

Corvina’s happy hour is also served Fridays and Saturdays, 4-6:30 p.m., at the indoor/outdoor bar, and a “9 for $9” menu has nine items to choose from for $9 each.

The Casimir French Bistro in Boca has summer discounts daily.

Monday: all-you-can-eat mussels; Tuesday: discounts on all duck dishes; Wednesday: two-course night, meaning with every entree, diners get a free soup, salad or dessert. On

Thursday diners get a discount on lobster dinners.

Happy hour, 3-6 p.m. nightly, offers discounts on beer, wines and appetizers, including a new menu item, flatbreads.

At Latitudes in Highland Beach, enjoy the ocean view during happy hour from 4:30-6:30 p.m. Drinks and menu items are $8 to $12 during these sunset hours.

Vic & Angelo’s happy hour menu is most generous: half-price off the entire menu, along with discounted drinks. You need to get there early, however — happy hour is weekdays only, 3-5 p.m. Vic & Angelo’s is on Atlantic Avenue in Delray.

The steakhouse Cut 432, also on the Avenue, offers $6 snacks and half-price house wines, beers and spirits at the weekday happy hour, 5-7 p.m.

Villagio in Boca Raton offers a good deal on some classics such as chicken Parmesan, chicken Milanese and portobello mushroom flatbreads for $10 during happy hour, to be extended on weekends through the summer. It’s from 5-7 p.m., and there are several drink specials to pair with them.

At the Wine Room Kitchen and Bar in Delray, diners can get a $12 charcuterie board as well as $9 small plates and $4 bites during happy hour, 3-7 p.m. The Wine Room serves $8 cocktails, $5 beers and $7 wines. On Wednesdays, it’s Match Day, and money put on the Wine Room card over $20 is matched.

At Prime Catch in Boynton Beach, sit at the dockside tiki bar to get $5 drinks and order from the bar bites menu. Happy hour is 3-6 p.m. weekdays.

At the Rebel House in Boca Raton, happy hour is 4-7 p.m. every day and features $6 cocktails and $6 plates, such as pork cheek empanada or wedge salad. A meat and cheese board is $10.

Catch brunch at Rose’s Daughter and Brule, sister restaurants in Delray. There’s an $8 Saturday brunch cocktail menu, plus 20% off all menus during happy hour, 4-6 p.m. all summer long at both eateries.

Caffe Luna Rosa in Delray Beach will offer a four-course wine pairing dinner for $69 on July 26, Aug. 16, Sept. 6, Sept. 27, Oct. 18 and Nov. 8.

Going just for drinks? The Old Key Lime House in Lantana offers 40% off mixed drinks — draft beer and premium wines excluded — 4-7 p.m. weekdays.

In brief: After 16 years, Dubliner Irish Pub closed its doors in Boca Raton. Partner Vaughan Dugan said, “Over time, everything evolves, and that’s certainly true in Boca and the hospitality industry as a whole. People want fresh ingredients, craft cocktails and comfortable seating to relax while catching up with friends." The Subculture Group will open Shaker & Pie, a modern pizzeria, in its place.

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

Supporters of Boca Helping Hands passed go at the 16th annual Monopoly-themed fundraiser, which attracted more than 150 guests. Boca Helping Hands President Gary Peters served as the tournament mediator. ‘This event is so much fun and unique,’ Peters said. ‘Think about how you loved Monopoly as a kid. This event is a way to enjoy the game and give back to our community.’ Proceeds will assist 27,000 people in South Florida with everything from hunger relief to job training.

Eric Shaw and Beverlee Schellenberger with Mr. Monopoly. Photo provided

More than 400 wine enthusiasts enjoyed a two-day celebration of exquisite food and drink. The annual benefit for the Boca Raton Historical Society included five memorable vintner dinners and an amazing Grand Tasting. ‘As always, Boca Bacchanal was a festive weekend that celebrates and enhances the appreciation of wine and food while bringing together world-class chefs and vintners, offering their finest specialties, while providing the entire community with a delightful opportunity to support the heritage education programs of The Schmidt Boca Raton History Museum and the Boca Raton Historical Society,’ society executive director Mary Csar said.

Todd and Maria Roberti with chefs Emilia Egusquiza and Salvatore Spina at a vintner dinner.

LeAnn and Russell Berman at the Grand Tasting. Photos provided by Jacek Gancarz

The American Heart Association had its 67th gala in support of lifesaving research and education programs to fight heart disease and stroke. A total of 350 guests attended the black-tie affair — which had not been held since 2020 because of the pandemic. They enjoyed dinner, dancing, a gorgeous orchid auction and an exciting live auction surrounded by greenery and decor befitting the ‘Garden of Plenty’ theme. PHOTO: Laurie Silvers and Mitch Rubenstein. Photo provided by Capehart