Related story: Delray Beach: Public safety, park referendums seek $120 million in new property taxes

By John Pacenti

The undercurrent in the Delray Beach City Commission races is electric, abuzz with whether to put a muzzle — or at least a leash — on future development.
In that sense, the March 14 election is very much about whether to turn back to the “old guard” that paved the way for much of the current development and to curtail development-critic Mayor Shelly Petrolia’s power.
Businessman Rob Long, 38, is trying to unseat first-term Commissioner Juli Casale, 54, for the District 2 seat. Casale, an ally of Petrolia, has been skeptical of new developments coming before the commission.
Community activist and former schoolteacher Angela Burns, 57, is taking on former Commissioner Angie Gray, 57, for the District 4 seat being vacated by term-limited Commissioner Shirley Johnson.
Petrolia, Casale and Johnson sometimes formed a female triad on a commission long dominated by men, coming together on 3-2 votes to oust the former Old School Square operators, to give commissioners a substantial pay raise and to fire George Gretsas as city manager.
With Casale’s and Johnson’s seats in the election mix, the outcome could shift the balance of power on the commission.

Campaign connections
Long and Burns have teamed up, echoing each other on the issues — particularly that Team Petrolia has created discord, incivility and division.
“I think there’s a toxic culture on our commission right now,” Long said at a Feb. 13 candidate forum at Mt. Olive Baptist Church sponsored by the League of Women Voters.
“Our City Hall is not stable,” Burns said at a Feb. 6 forum at the Opal Grand Resort sponsored by the Beach Property Owners Association.
Long and Burns share the same political consultant — Cornerstone Solutions — and at one event, at the Abbey Delray South senior community, the same person answered questions for them when they could not attend.
If elected, both said they would try to return the running of Old School Square back to the nonprofit that had been in charge before the commission ended the lease because of financial concerns. The commission in February reached agreement with the Downtown Development Authority for it to take over management of the historic campus.
Long and Burns also want to make the Community Redevelopment Agency independent from the commission again. The commission took over the CRA in 2018 because critics said it was pouring money into non-blighted areas and ignoring everything west of Swinton Avenue.
They are backed by developers and the city’s old guard.
Long and Burns, in their campaign disclosures, show donations from Bill Branning, owner of BSA Construction; Chuck Halberg, owner of Stuart & Shelby Development; William Walsh, owner of Ocean Properties; and Scott Porten of the real estate development firm Porten Companies.
The law firm of land-use attorney Bonnie Miskel also donated to Long and Burns, as have a number of high-profile members of the Friends of Delray who are incensed about the changes at Old School Square.
Long certainly has the old guard in his corner. Former mayors Jeff Perlman, Jay Alperin, Tom Lynch, Rita Ellis and David Schmidt have endorsed him. None of them has served in more than a decade.
Perlman is vice president of CDS International Holdings, which was involved in the Atlantic Crossing and Parks of Delray projects.
While their campaigns may have teamed up at times, Burns told The Coastal Star she is her own candidate and not in lockstep with Long.
“The notion that my opponents have made that my views are not my own is a personal attack that I am too ignorant to have my own opinions,” she said. “Anyone who knows me, knows I always speak up and have always worked to better my community.”

Opponents also connected
Casale and Gray appear to have informally teamed up as well, with supporters producing literature touting both candidates. Their signs are coupled along Congress Avenue.
A real estate agent, Gray says her priorities are addressing over-development, workforce and essential housing, traffic, parking and aging infrastructure.
Burns has brought up the fact that Gray in 2015 was acquitted on misdemeanor ethics charges regarding failure to disclose a conflict of interest.

Endorsers and developers
While Long and Gray listed their endorsements at both candidate forums, Casale told the audience at the BPOA town hall that she doesn’t seek endorsements because those special interests always want something in return.
“I want to serve the residents and I want to be beholden to the residents,” she said.
Casale squeaked to victory in 2020 by a 120-vote margin, propelled by her successful opposition to a 102-unit development in her Sabal Lakes neighborhood.
She said voters need to look at development projects that have come before her on the commission and before Long on the Planning & Zoning Board.
Long served on the P&Z Board from 2018 to 2022. His business — Door 2 Door Strategies — does grassroots outreach for politicians and developers.
Casale said project developers look to go beyond what is permitted and she said Long consistently recommended giving them the green light.
“I certainly am not against development. I am certainly against out-of-control over-development and I am definitely for protecting our quality of life,” she said.
Casale has ruffled feathers delving into the city’s finances. At the BPOA forum, she said she found as much as $2.5 million misallocated to the fire department that could go to expand the Freebie electric car service or some other need.

Criticisms and allegations
Long hasn’t been shy about attacking city leadership.
He tangled with Petrolia, Casale and Johnson when he publicly criticized the city’s drinking water quality, leading Petrolia at the time to call unsuccessfully for his removal from the P&Z Board. The current commission has approved a $130 million water treatment plant.
“In the last three years that my opponent has been serving as commissioner, has traffic gotten better, has parking downtown gotten easier, or utility prices gone down?” Long asked at the Mt. Olive forum.
“Do you have confidence in the safety of our drinking water? Is the city involved in less lawsuits?”
Both the Old School Square and the Gretsas decisions have resulted in litigation.
Speaking of litigation, Long on Feb. 9 filed a defamation lawsuit against Chris Davey, who is chairman of the P&Z Board and an ally of Petrolia and Casale.
Long claimed in the complaint that Davey falsely portrayed him as “a corrupt public official,” “burdened by debt” and “committing financial crimes.”
Some of the same allegations surfaced in an editorial by the South Florida Sun Sentinel titled, “The long, hidden reach of developers in Delray Beach.”
The newspaper said land-use attorney Miskel referred clients to Long’s business while she was appearing before the P&Z Board representing a development project. Long said he followed the advice of an assistant city attorney when the Aura Delray Beach project came before the board.
“The city attorney has said I did the right thing by following this process,” Long said when asked.
Long told The Coastal Star that if elected he would “limit my clients to ensure I have no voting conflicts. If there’s ever a question about it, I will request and follow the advice of the City Attorney’s Office.”
Casale and Davey, though, say Long voted on other Miskel projects as well: Parks of Delray, the Central Business District Railroad, Delray Central House and Delray Swan.
Cornerstone, speaking for Long, said there were no conflicts of interest on those projects.
Miskel told The Coastal Star she may have referred two clients to Long. “You know, he did what he was supposed to do as a board member — he disclosed,” she said.

Experience vs. the outsider
In District 4, Gray is the one boasting of government experience. She served on the City Commission for five years and is currently one of only two non-commissioners on the Community Redevelopment Agency’s governing board.
Gray also sits on the Palm Beach County Solid Waste Authority’s Small Business Advisory Committee and had been a member of the county’s Health Care District Board when she was a city commissioner.
She stressed at the forums her “institutional knowledge” and she defended the CRA at the Mt. Olive Baptist Church forum.
Her opponent says the CRA is not looking out for the interests of residents. “The CRA is doing just what CRAs do — and that is to gentrify,” Burns said.
Gray, though, says she is proud that the CRA has started pumping money into the western Delray Beach communities since the agency has been put under the commission. She pointed out that Burns got a $66,000 CRA grant for her business, a daiquiri bar, that went belly-up.
“We helped your business,” Gray told her opponent. “If you look around in our community, a lot of things have been done in the last five years.”
Burns draws a contrast to Gray, painting herself as the only true outsider. When she wasn’t agreeing with Long, Burns hammered on the lack of maintenance in Delray Beach.
“I’m the only candidate running in this race who is not a politician. I’m an educator, and I am a communicator,” she said at the Mt. Olive forum.

Delray Beach candidates on the issues

The following candidate excerpts are from either a forum sponsored by the Beach Property Owners Association (BPOA) or by the League of Women Voters (LWV).

On workforce housing (LWV):
Juli Casale: “The biggest issue we have is the developers are providing what they’re calling workforce housing, but they’re providing it at a very high rate. And it’s not affordable to the people in our city who need housing. So we are making a trade-off with these developers and getting nothing in return.”
Rob Long: “I’ll continue to incentivize developers to build affordable housing units, putting the burden on them, not on taxpayers.”
Angela Burns: “I would look at increasing the budget from the CRA for refurbishing homes — repair the homes that we have. We have a lot of legacy homes in Delray.”
Angie Gray: “I will just continue to do what we’re doing now. I mean, the CRA has been working very successfully.”

On climate change and sea wall heights (BPOA):
Casale: “We had talked about doing incentive programs for the residents, to encourage them on private property to want to do it for themselves. Most people do because their property is getting flooded.”
Long: “This isn’t just a Delray Beach issue. This is a county issue. This is a South Florida issue. This is a coastal issue.”
Burns: “I do believe that we need to have a policy in place that will address the public and private requirements of sea walls, a policy that takes care of the barrier island all together.”
Gray: “The first thing that we do is from Day One, I will get together with our city manager to create a task force.”

On preserving and enhancing public facilities (BPOA):
Casale: “The beach is utilized in a number of different ways and lately we’re even finding people are sleeping out there. … We are working on that in the most compassionate way.”
Long: “Parks and Rec got some of their budget cut and they were handed Old School Square last year. They’re spread so thin. … So, I’ll work toward taking items off their plate.”
Burns: “Delray Beach is very good at building things but has not been very good at maintaining things.”
Gray: “I will make sure that we put in a maintenance program. That is one of my priorities.”

Related story: Delray Beach: Balance of power on ballot in commission elections

By John Pacenti

If Delray Beach voters approve a $100 million public safety bond referendum March 14, $80 million of the proceeds will be used to pay for a new Police Department headquarters — or to cover the cost of a major renovation and expansion of the existing headquarters on West Atlantic Avenue.
The remaining $20 million is targeted for the renovation of aging fire stations, but there have been no specific details released as to how those dollars would be divided.
The police station priority was unveiled to voters at a Feb. 23 town hall meeting at the Old School Square gymnasium, just three weeks before Election Day.
The public safety bond is one of two referendums on the election ballot for voters to decide. The other is a $20 million parks bond, with most of its money going for improvements at Catherine Strong Park. Some money would be used at Miller Park and others in the city.
Residents at the town hall expressed dismay at the lack of information about the bonds since they were announced in September. Some thought the amounts sought were outrageous; others wondered if the money would be enough.
The fire department last year gave renovation estimates of $50 million for its headquarters at 501 W. Atlantic Ave., Station 115 on Old Germantown Road and Station 114 on Lake Ida Road. The city has said the proposed general obligation bond would also pay for renovations for Station 112 on Andrews Avenue and the Ocean Rescue headquarters on Ocean Boulevard. 
But apparently Station 114, the youngest of the bunch, is off the table. Last year, the fire department said it needed $4.6 million to renovate it.
At the meeting, Fire Chief Keith Tomey also addressed concerns voiced repeatedly about a proposal that would move Station 112 to Anchor Park, combining it with Ocean Rescue. Residents said they were worried about the noise or the fate of the playground.
“We are so far away from anything actually breaking ground that there’ll probably be more thoughts and ideas and concepts before we actually decide,” Tomey said.
The city’s literature is clear: The plan is to renovate existing fire stations, not build new ones.
Information was added to the city’s bond referendum website at the end of February to tell voters that the money wouldn’t be used to build new fire stations at Anchor Park or Atlantic Dunes Park on the barrier island.
Friends of Delray, an outspoken nonprofit group that has been critical of city leaders, dedicated a podcast in mid-February to the two bonds, with guests addressing how voters have been kept in the dark.
Former Mayor Jay Alperin said on the group’s webcast that he couldn’t get answers from the city when he asked for specifics earlier this year.
He noted that in the 1980s he was involved in a bond issue where city officials canvassed neighborhoods for months to tell people what was proposed. 
“This is a whole different way of handling a bond and it scares me that people won’t know in time to get really specific on what they are going to get for an increase in their taxes,” he said.
But City Manager Terrence Moore told residents at the town hall that the city’s quality of life would be greatly impacted if the bond initiatives don’t pass.
“Then we are back to the drawing board, so to speak. All the needs and all the projects will be delayed,” he said. The city has simply outgrown its current infrastructure with populations increasing from 47,748 to 66,911 since 1990, Moore said.
Some voters said that the electorate wasn’t ready to make such a big commitment. 
“Most people haven’t heard about this yet and we are supposed to vote on it in a few weeks,” said Karen O’Neill. “And realistically, the concern is, are we ready to vote on this?”
Susan Hansford wanted more specifics on why voters needed to approve such a large amount. “They cannot ask us for this kind of money,” she told The Coastal Star. “It’s asking us to sign a blank check.”
A general obligation bond is paid by revenue from property taxes. The city is required to levy enough property tax to pay for the debt service on the bond.
The estimated cost over 30 years to a resident with a home having $1 million in taxable assessed value would be $428 for the first year of the public safety bond. That amount would decrease to $360 annually when the city retires two previous bonds next February.
The parks and recreation bond is a separate cost. The 30-year estimated cost will be an additional $88 annually for a home with a $1 million taxable assessed value.
The taxable assessed value on a home is almost always less than its market value.
The parks bond is specifically geared to Catherine Strong Park at 1500 SW Sixth St., to pay for covered basketball courts, a covered practice field, walking trails and improvements to restrooms and lighting.
A question was raised at the town hall about whether the money can be used to renovate the city’s golf course. Moore said it could not because the course is a “de facto enterprise.”
Police Chief Russ Mager painted a bleak picture of his current headquarters.
“Roof leaks, tons of leaks,” he said, adding that the department has started converting closets into office space.
The city is contemplating whether to raze the police headquarters and start with a new floor plan, or to add floors to the existing structures.
Tomey spelled out the needs of the fire department, saying many of the existing stations were built 30 years ago when the department had fewer firefighters, fewer vehicles and a nearly all-male staff. Women now make up 20% of the operational staff of the department, he said.
“We’re not quite as bad as the PD where we got people in closets but we’re getting pretty close,” Tomey said. 

An overview of the development plan for the new Town Square shows two buildings,north and south of City Hall, with 898 luxury rentals and about 23,000 square feet of commercial space, plus a hotel and two parking garages with a total of 2,338 spaces. The rendering shows the corner of Boynton Beach and Seacrest boulevards. Rendering provided

Related story: Boynton Beach: City allows zone, site plan changes for The Pierce

By Tao Woolfe

The Boynton Beach City Commission — following a marathon meeting on Feb. 21 lasting until 2 a.m. — granted several approvals to a reimagined Town Square, which will be the largest development in the city’s history.
The overall development plan includes:
• 898 luxury rental apartments spread out into two 80-foot-tall buildings and over four city blocks
• About 23,000 square feet of commercial space
• A hotel
• Interior courtyards filled with trees, a swimming pool and other amenities
• Two parking garages with a total of 2,338 spaces, some 533 of which would be for the public and city employees.
The approvals were granted to Time Equities Inc., a New York-based developer that will take over the long-stalled project from JKM BTS Capital LLC.
Under Boynton Beach’s original agreement with JKM, the $250 million Town Square project was to comprise a mix of municipal buildings and privately developed apartment buildings, a hotel, restaurants and shops.
In return, the city agreed to give JKM the three parcels of land, to pay almost $2 million in cash to the developer and to provide underground water and sewer lines.
The project’s lead developer, E2L Real Estate Solutions, did complete the public buildings — City Hall, the library and an amphitheater — but JKM failed to deliver on the 2,000-space parking garages and the residential and commercial mixed-use project slated for 15.5 acres between Boynton Beach Boulevard and Southeast Second Avenue.
The city sued JKM in November 2020. That suit is still pending, but will be dismissed once several pieces of a recent settlement agreement fall into place.
The major terms of the settlement agreement include:
• The city will be paid $4.5 million by JKM.
• The developer will pay the city another $100,000 in attorneys’ fees for related litigation.
• JKM will sell three parcels of land conveyed by the city for the project to another developer.
• As part of the purchase agreement, the new developer must agree to provide sufficient parking for the project as well as sufficient public parking.
“If any of the conditions are not satisfied, the Settlement Agreement will become null and void,” the agreement stipulates.
The city’s approval of Time Equities’ proposal is the first step toward moving the stalled project forward.
“The project is the largest in the city’s history and has costs close to half a billion dollars,” City Manager Dan Dugger said at the outset of the Feb. 21 meeting. “The scope is so great. The potential is equally great.”
The scope, however, was criticized by members of the public who asked that the density be lessened.
“This is not the downtown the city has been talking about,” said Courtlandt McQuire, a nightclub owner and member of the Planning and Development Board. “It’s high-density housing. Planning and development did not vote in favor of it.”
But the prevailing sentiment among the speakers was that the city is lucky to have such a qualified developer willing to step in to finish the failed project.
“You’ve got a competent, reputable builder here,” said resident Harry Woodworth. “Do we need more lawyers? Do we need more litigation? This is one of the better developments I’ve seen.”
“Density is on the high side, but it’s not Boynton Bland,” said resident Michael Wilson. “This packs in quite a bit of architectural design.”
Robert Singer, Time Equities development director, said the company had worked hard with the city staff to come up with a proposal that has less density — and more amenities — than those outlined by the city’s zoning code.
For example, he said, the new mixed-use city code approved in January allows for 962 dwelling units; building heights of up to 99 feet, and only 10,000 square feet of retail space. The proposal calls for 898 dwelling units, 80-foot building heights, and more than doubles the retail space.
The 28-foot setbacks from the street, designed to make the complex more friendly for pedestrians, are nearly triple the 10-foot setbacks required by code.
“This is a marriage,” Singer said. “It does require some trust.”
After some discussion about further limiting the density, commission members agreed to trust that the developer would not come back to the city to request more units.
Singer said a study found that the flow of traffic would be “sufficient” once the complex is built.
Under an agreement option, Time Equities has elected to pay $4.5 million into a housing trust fund to subsidize workforce housing units in other parts of the city. The program is known as payment-in-lieu of construction of workforce housing.
Time Equities must make the payment — which breaks down into 123 rental units at about $37,000 per unit — when the building permit is issued, Assistant City Manager Adam Temple said after the meeting.
The next steps will be site plan approvals for the next two phases from the City Commission and the Planning and Development Board; permitting; and construction.
Neither the developer nor the city planning staff said how long it might be before the shovels hit the ground or how long construction will take.
Once all the approvals have been gathered, the Town Square developer has 5.5 years to finish the project, according to terms of the agreement.

By Tao Woolfe

Phil Terrano, the man who wants to revive East Boynton Beach’s Little League Park, delivered the payoff pitch to the City Commission last month.
Not only did the commissioners vote unanimously on Feb. 21 in favor of revitalizing the park on Woolbright Road, they asked Terrano to more than triple the size of his proposed indoor training facility.
Terrano had proposed building a 7,500-square-foot training facility. City officials — who had toured similar facilities — originally said they would like him to build a 12,000-square-foot building.
Recreation director Kacy Young, working with the building department, later determined that a 28,000-square- foot facility would better suit the city’s needs. Although it will have a special emphasis on baseball, training at the facility will be for all major sports and could be a draw for professional athletes, Terrano has told the city.
Services offered will include speed, agility, strength and conditioning training, nutrition programs, batting cages, pro clay bullpen mounds, data assessment, physical therapy, chiropractic services, youth camps and scholarship programs.
Terrano, an agent for major league baseball players, has also said he and his investors envision adding turf fields and making the park accessible for people with disabilities. The city would also like to spruce up the existing grass fields, add tee ball and artificial turf fields, and upgrade the bathrooms and concession stands, Young has said.
Terrano had hoped to have the work completed by summer, but Young said a year would be a more realistic timetable.
Neighbors of the park who live in the High Point complex said they welcome the upgrade. A couple of other residents expressed safety concerns and said they would rather see the property used to enlarge the city cemetery.
Terrano said the veterans memorial wall, which is on the north side of the parcel, will be kept intact and meticulously maintained.
“This will be a destination ballpark that everyone can come to,” Terrano said. “I want Boynton Beach to have the best — a field of dreams.”

The Pierce downtown complex with 300 rental apartments and 17,000 square feet of commercial area will be along Federal Highway between Boynton Beach Boulevard and Ocean Avenue. The Hurricane Alley restaurant — the small building at left — is relocated to the project’s northwest corner. Rendering provided

Related story: Boynton Beach: Commission OKs big new Town Square project

By Tao Woolfe

The Boynton Beach City Commission last month approved some site plan changes to The Pierce — a $73 million downtown complex of apartments, restaurants, retail stores and green space at 115 N. Federal Highway.
Affiliated Development received the city’s blessing on Feb. 21 to rezone the 2.3-acre complex to a new mixed-use downtown core designation; tweak the master and site plans; redesign the parking garage; and abandon some alleyways.
Affiliated Development CEO Jeff Burns also showed the city several new artist’s renderings of the complex and described some of its features.
“This is going to be a luxury development with world-class amenities,” Burns said.
The Pierce will offer 150 units each of workforce and market-rate luxury rental apartments. It will have 17,000 square feet of commercial area that will accommodate restaurants, office space and retail stores.
It will feature public art projects including murals and a huge, perforated metal corner treatment on the south parking garage emblazoned with nautical images and lettering that says “Welcome to Boynton Beach.”
“It will look like a postcard,” Burns said, adding that Brightline train passengers will be able to see it and know what city they are passing through.
The restaurants, including a freestanding new building for Hurricane Alley, and wide sidewalks will provide “an active, engaged area with day and night activity,”Burns said.
The lush landscaping, game lawn and redesigned setbacks will provide “a nice level of connectivity.” Even the parking garages will be buffered by trees and shrubs, including “pops of color” from bougainvillea on the upper levels, Burns said.
The garages will offer 450 spaces, 150 of which will be for public parking.
The commission approved most of the changes, but asked the developer to work with merchants, especially the owner of the Ace Hardware, to ensure that if the rights of way are abandoned, delivery trucks have enough room to get in and out.
Burns agreed.
Commissioner Thomas Turkin, who often says he would like to see less density in downtown projects, said he admires the way Affiliated has worked with the community to create The Pierce.
“I think every developer should take the same approach and maximize community involvement,” Turkin said.
Vice Mayor Angela Cruz agreed.
“It’s a beautiful project,” she said. “I am really, really happy this is coming to our downtown.”
The timetable will depend on how long it takes to secure permits, Burns has said.
Among the approvals needed: a master site plan from planning and zoning; a land development permit from the city’s engineering department; site and building permits from the building department, and the completion of several inspections, according to a building department spokesperson.
“We could complete the construction, start to finish, in 20 months,” Burns told the City Commission last summer. “It’s not unreasonable to expect to have a shovel in the ground by next year.”
The project will come before the commission again for more approvals on March 9.

Florida Atlantic University plans to use the closed Living Room Theaters on its Boca Raton campus for student classes and for a digital media production hub. Photo provided

By Christine Davis

Living Room Theaters, which was located in Florida Atlantic University’s Culture and Society building on the Boca Raton campus, closed in February, citing low attendance due to the pandemic.
Independent and foreign films were shown on four screens since 2010 in a public/private collaboration with the university.
Founded in 2006 by Ernesto Rimoch, Living Room Theaters still has locations in Portland, Oregon, and Indianapolis. 
The closure of Living Room Theaters is a loss to the university, its students and the local community, said Carol Mills, professor and director of FAU’s School of Communication and Multimedia Studies.
She also said that “in the School of Communication and Multimedia Studies, we will be retaining at least two of the theaters for student classes because that is foundational for a superior film education experience. We are exploring opportunities to continue community programming, as well.
“The remainder of the space will be converted to a state-of-the-art digital media production hub for filmmaking and entertainment content creation, social media and public opinion research, and broadcast journalism.”

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A new Delray Beach business called Love and Healing Energy features a 24-unit Energy Enhancement System, or EES, that allows the body to recharge itself.
During a session, “you immerse yourself in scalar and bio-photonic waves while listening to high frequency music as you rest in anti-gravity chairs in our spa setting,” according to owner Michelle Kaplan.
The system, invented by Sandra Rose Michael, Ph.D., is not a medical device and does not heal you, Kaplan explains. “What it does do is balance and restore the power of your own DNA so that the body can heal itself.”
The EES brings cells back to that optimal charge so that they can function again and allows the body to do the work that it needs to do.
Clients say that after a session they feel a release of stress, tension and anxiety. Often, they report feeling a reduction in inflammation and general body pain. A feeling of energy and clearness of mind is also commonly reported.
Love and Healing Energy opened in January at 2196 W. Atlantic Ave. For more information, call 561-270-1850 or visit www.loveandhealingenergy.com.
A similar, although not related business, the Energy Room, opened last fall at 200 W. Palmetto Park Road, Suite 204, Boca Raton. For more information, call 561-210-0502 or visit www.theenergyroom.org.

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GoodVets, a national veterinarian partner-led animal hospital platform, has opened a new practice at 9884 S. Jog Road, Suite D6, Boynton Beach, in partnership with local veterinarian Dr. Victoria Tomasino. Tomasino also plans to open a Delray Beach location this spring. GoodVets offers online booking at https://goodvets.com/locations/delray-boynton/boynton.

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Three local resorts have been awarded five-star ratings from the 2023 Forbes Travel Guide.
For the ninth consecutive year, Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa in Manalapan has been awarded a five-star rating. Individually, Eau Spa also won a five-star rating for the ninth year in a row.
“We are thrilled once again to be recognized with the prestigious Forbes Five-Star rating for Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa in 2023, making us only one of seven double-star hotel and spa winners in Florida,” said Tim Nardi, general manager. “It is an extremely difficult test to pass, and our dedicated staff works diligently every day to ensure all our guests receive a first-class experience here in Palm Beach.”
The Four Seasons Resort in Palm Beach is on the five-star list, as well, as it has been for 25 years. The resort’s spa has received five stars from Forbes for seven consecutive years.
“Receiving the Forbes Five-Star distinction for the 25th consecutive year and recognition for our flagship restaurant Florie’s by Mauro Colagreco fills me with immense pride to work alongside each individual who made this possible,” said Mohamed Elbanna, regional vice president and general manager. “Behind every memorable moment is a heartfelt passion to make a connection and leave a lasting impression, whether soaking in sunny oceanside hospitality or taking in the thoughtful touches in their guest rooms, our guests can feel that each detail is delivered with love.”
Also receiving five-star ratings this year were the Boca Raton Beach Club, part of The Boca Raton — and the property’s signature wellness oasis, Spa Palmera.
“This success is a testament to our dedicated team at The Boca Raton,” said Daniel A. Hostettler, president and CEO. “We will continue to raise the bar on our properties to meet and exceed Forbes’ rigorous luxury standards.”

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Under the leadership of Jan Kinder, chair of the Delray Business Partners, the Greater Delray Beach Chamber of Commerce’s leads group has set a record for collaborating with one another. During 2022, its 30 members generated more than $202,221 of gross sales by doing business with one another and by referring their colleagues in the group to potential clients. For more information visit https://delraybusinesspartners.com.

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Steven Abrams has joined LSN Partners as a managing partner of its Palm Beach County practice. Abrams focuses on the transportation and emergency management practice groups. Abrams was elected to the Boca Raton City Council in 1989 and was then city mayor for two terms. Subsequently, he served as a Palm Beach County commissioner, including a term as county mayor. He now joins LSN after 12 years with the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority, where he was chairman and then executive director.
Abrams also has accepted a position as a partner of LSN Law, P.A., where he will assist clients with land use and zoning, contracts and procurement, and permitting and licensing.

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Dr. Safiya George was named to the Boca Helping Hands’ board of directors. George earned her master’s and doctoral degrees in nursing from Emory University and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Duke University in religion and health research. She is currently dean and professor at the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing at Florida Atlantic University. Her primary research area aims to promote the health and holistic well-being of individuals with or at risk for HIV/AIDS. 

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Erin L. Deady, attorney and a certified land planner with an office in Delray Beach, recently assisted multiple cities and counties in securing more than $26 million in funding from the state of Florida. Local projects included in the funding are $700,000 for the city of Boca Raton Lake Wyman Living Shoreline project, and $627,500 for the city’s Old Floresta Innovative Sustainable Stormwater Infrastructure project. The city of Delray Beach received $10 million for the Historic Marine Way Seawall, Roadway and Drainage improvement and $2.5 million for the Thomas Street Stormwater Pump Station improvement. For more information, visit https://erindeadylaw.com

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Volunteers with golf carts are needed to drive World War II and Korean War veterans in the Delray Beach St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
The veterans are grand marshals for the event, which involves a two-mile trip down Atlantic Avenue on March 11. Veterans & Homefront Voices is spearheading the search for volunteers with golf carts to help drive the veterans.
Drivers, veterans and other volunteers will decorate the carts together and then ride down Atlantic Avenue to be cheered on by a throng of spectators.
Golf carts and drivers need to be at Holly House at the First Presbyterian Church campus at 33 Gleason Street by 9:45 a.m. Veterans will complete the parade at around 1 p.m.
A picnic for all vets, their families, and volunteers will be held after the parade from 1-2:30 p.m. at Pompey Park, 1101 NW Second St.
To register as a volunteer, go to bit.ly/DelrayStPattyVetVolsReg.
Veterans who wish to be in the parade can register at bit.ly/StPattyVetFamReg.
For more information, contact Conrad Ogletree at conrad@toplinerev.com.

***

The Delray Beach Housing Authority received the October 2022 Community Service Award from the Delray Beach Police Department for its work to improve the quality of life for low- and moderate-income families by providing quality housing options.
“Through our partnership with the (police department’s) community outreach team and our commitment to provide affordable housing, seniors were able to be placed at the Lake Delray Apartments with a federally funded subsidy and have ongoing case management provided to them to ensure that they are able to remain housed and have an opportunity for a sustainable quality of living,” said Shirley Erazo, the housing authority’s president and CEO.
“The housing authority would not have been able to successfully engage these efforts without the commitment and dedicated services of the community outreach team of Delray Beach.”

Send business news to Christine Davis at cdavis9797@gmail.com. Mary Thurwachter contributed to this column.

A five-bedroom, five-bath home celebrates the history of Delray Beach. The entryway and kitchen of this recently completed house have 11-foot ceilings and a street map of the community. Photos by Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

Achievement Centers for Children & Families hosts a full-scale Delray Beach Home Tour offering a peek inside houses between the ocean and the Intracoastal

By Mary Thurwachter

During the past three years, the Delray Beach Home Tour was a shadow of its previous self and the reason was the pandemic, of course. In 2020, the tour was simply a video event showing highlights of homes, enough to let fans of the popular annual event know they weren’t forgotten.
The following two years were mini tours, says Kari Shipley, longtime co-chairwoman of the fundraiser. “We had to limit how many people attended because people were still concerned about COVID.”
This year’s event, set for 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 15, will return to its pre-pandemic scope.

This 1960s home has been fine-tuned over the years and displays many of the owner’s travel photos, including this one from New Zealand in the dining room.

“We’re opening up to full scale,” Shipley said. “We’re really excited. We’ve got great sponsors and eight distinctive homes in the beachfront North End neighborhood of Delray Beach. We’ve got everything from a 1940s cottage to a brand-new house where the owners moved in the 1st of January.
“Now, in the tour’s 20th year, we’re back to expecting 600-700 people and we’ve already sold 450 tickets,” Shipley said in mid-February. “With less than a month to go, we’re pretty sure we’ll reach our $130,000 goal. We’ve already got $118,000.”

ABOVE: This recently completed three-story home has a seating area in front of the main home, with panoramic views along A1A and the ocean. RIGHT: This screen-door insert has graced this Mid-century home for decades through multiple owners.

The North End neighborhood runs from the north side of Atlantic Avenue north to George Bush Boulevard, from the Atlantic Ocean to the Intracoastal Waterway.
Guests can look forward to a leisurely day exploring unique homes, a catered lunch and trolley service between homes, if they like. But Shipley says the seven-block tour is totally walkable for people who choose to hoof it.
“We tell everyone to wear your most comfortable walking shoes,” Shipley said.
Parking will be at First Presbyterian Church of Delray Beach on Gleason Street, just south of Atlantic Avenue.
That’s where people can catch the trolley.
Money raised will go to the Achievement Centers for Children & Families, a community-based organization that provides opportunities for under-resourced children to thrive in a positive environment.
The event runs smoothly, Shipley said, thanks to co-chairwoman Noreen Payne, volunteer coordinator Deborah Dowd, staff at the Achievement Centers Foundation office, and the 100 or more volunteers who are stationed at the homes, on the trolley directing people where to go, and at the buffet luncheon.
The lunch is available from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the historical home of Frank McKinney at 610 N. Ocean Blvd.
“There’s a gorgeous big tree with decking all around it and a great ocean view,” Shipley said. “People will love having lunch there.”

ABOVE: Whimsical sculptures of dogs at play enliven the entrance to this home on A1A. BELOW RIGHT: A collection of family and celebrity photos highlights the living room wall of this Delray Beach home.

Another highlight will be the dozen plein-air artists who will set up easels around the featured homes and at various places on the route. Attendees can watch the artists work and even buy paintings from them. After the event, paintings will be on display at Chapel 4, a historical museum in a landmark building in the heart of the Marina Historic District downtown.
The tour started 20 years ago when Achievement Centers board members Anne Bright and Barbara Murphy came up with the idea to raise money for the nonprofit organization. Since then, the event has raised more than $1.6 million.

Tickets for the March 15 tour are $125. The event runs 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and includes lunch. Advance reservations are necessary. Tickets are available by calling the Achievement Centers Foundation office at 561-266-0003 or ordering at www.achievementcentersfl.org/delray-home-tour/.

Who could ask for a better oceanfront view than the one provided at this home on the east side of A1A?

The backyard of a two-story home on the Delray Beach Home Tour has a hot tub overflowing into the swimming pool surrounded by cut-coral pavers and privacy hedges.

ABOVE (l-r): Reilly Glasser, Amy Procacci and Ashley Cole in their black dresses. RIGHT: Luz Nieto and Laurie Daniel. The Junior League hopes to raise $20,000 in this initiative. Photos provided

By Amy Woods

The little black dress has become an icon. A staple in most women’s closets, it hangs ready and waiting as the go-to garment that can be worn on almost any occasion.
The Junior League of Boca Raton plans to capitalize on the ubiquity of the little black dress this month in an effort to raise awareness of the effect poverty has on choices and opportunities.
“Hopefully, the title makes people think,” league President Jamie Sauer said of the fourth annual Little Black Dress Initiative taking place March 27 through 31. “At the end of the day, the point is to feel a teeny bit of what it might be like to wear the same outfit every day for five days.”
The Little Black Dress Initiative not only will raise awareness of the restrictions poverty places on choices and opportunities, but also illustrate the struggles faced by more than one in 10 Palm Beach County residents living in poverty, the majority of whom are women.
“It’s been really successful for us in helping raising money for the community,” Sauer said. “It spurs the conversation so you can talk with people about it.”
A total of $15,000 was raised last year. This year’s goal is $20,000. Participants ask family members, friends and social-media followers for sponsorships, and proceeds go toward programs and services for women and children in need. Participants also don “Ask me about my dress” pins and post about their experiences on Facebook, Instagram and other platforms.
“For me, wearing the same black dress makes me realize, ‘What does that do for your confidence and how you feel each day?’” Sauer said. “It’s very humbling. It’s extra work. It’s extra laundry. It’s honestly a tough week. It’s a very tiny portion of what people with limited resources face.”

U.S. Rep. Lois Frankel, D-West Palm Beach, recently visited Delray Beach’s Wayside House — a women’s addiction treatment center serving the public since 1974 — and announced $1 million in new federal funding for the facility.
The money will go toward building additions and improvements to accommodate more clients.
“We are so grateful and proud to be recognized at the federal level for the critical role Wayside House plays in the war against addiction,” CEO Lisa McWhorter said. “We are indebted to Rep. Frankel for bringing our work to the attention of Congress.”
The investment is one of 15 local nonprofit projects Frankel submitted through a program that allows members of Congress to secure proceeds for specific initiatives in their regions.
“These funds will go a long way in helping Wayside House continue helping women rebuild their lives,” McWhorter said.
For more information, call 561-278-0055 or visit www.waysidehouse.net.

‘Keeping the Promise’passes $240 million
Steve and Marla Garchik have donated $1 million to “Keeping the Promise — The Campaign for Boca Raton Regional Hospital.”
The gift brought the total amount of funds raised to more than $240 million. The goal is $250 million.
“From the moment we walked through the doors, we believed you can truly feel this is a community-driven hospital,” Marla Garchik said. “The staff and facilities are a step above.”
The Garchiks, who moved to the area 11 years ago, have made multiple visits to the hospital for their parents’ care.
“Honestly, we feel so lucky to have found this special place of care for our family members,” she said. “We’re grateful to the extraordinary nurses, doctors, the foundation and the community outreach of the hospital. Therefore, our promise is to do everything in our power to support this special place.”
For more information, call 561-955-4142 or visit donate.brrh.com.

Achievement Centers appoints new CEO
The Achievement Centers for Children & Families, of service to the Delray Beach and South County communities since 1969, has appointed Adamma DuCille as its CEO.
Former CEO Stephanie Seibel has moved on to a new role as CEO of the organization’s foundation.
“Adamma and I will work collaboratively to develop and expand our programs,” Seibel said of DuCille, who joins the agency from the Children’s Services Council of Broward County, where she was the director of equity and organizational development.
“Through my new role, I will continue to lead the organization by spearheading long-term funding objectives, impact efforts and growth initiatives,” Seibel said.
For more information call 561-276-4561 or visit www.achievementcentersfl.org.

Jewish collective helps women juggle work, home
The Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County has relaunched the Professional Jewish Women’s Collective, a networking initiative dedicated to bringing together women of all ages and backgrounds to nurture each other’s careers.
The PJWC, on hold during the pandemic, provides personal connections, interactive programming and peer support to address the issues that come with balancing work and home. It plans to meet next on May 3.
“The PJWC was born from a shared space where a woman in business, with her own energy, can express her thoughts and ideas openly with a community of women that lift her up to become the best of herself personally and professionally,” PJWC co-chairwoman Jill Poser-Kammet said. “The experience is exhilarating.”
Co-chairwoman Lisa Friedman Clark said, “After moving to Boca in 2020, it became immediately apparent to me that I didn’t have a local network of professional ‘fristers,’ or friends who are sisters.
“Couple that with all the nuances and challenges of starting my third career, a brand-new family business, and you can understand why I jumped at the chance to chair PJWC.” For more information, call 561-852-3128 or visit jewishboca.org/professional-jewish-womens-collective-pjwc.

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

Former Apple CEO and Pepsi Vice President John Sculley addressed the crowd at the second luncheon of the season. Sculley discussed his career highlights during an interview by Kravis Center board member Jeffrey Stoops. More than 160 corporate partners and their guests attended, listening to the former executive talk about working at Pepsi in the ’70s when the brand became known for its marketing innovations and at Apple in the ’80s when the Macintosh was launched during the Super Bowl. ABOVE: Jane Mitchell and Stoops. Photo provided by Capehart

Good humor and laughter were in abundance at the Delray Beach Public Library’s 16th annual fundraiser. Angelo and Mari Bianco served as hosts of the event, which is a perennial favorite for its creative, casual, fun-filled night of comedy, cocktails, and supper-by-the-bite. James Austin Johnson of ‘Saturday Night Live’ headlined the show, which raised more than $330,000 and attracted nearly 400 attendees. ABOVE: (l-r) Lindsay Hays Saraj, Mari Bianco, Chiara Clark, Lynsey Kane and Jacqueline Owen. BELOW: (l-r) Bobby, Caron and Robert Dockerty. RIGHT: Donna Paolino Coia and Brenda Medore. Photos provided

Les Girls of Palm Beach President Martina Covarrubias presented a check to Creative Waves Foundation President Candace Tamposi for the construction of a new enrichment center in Belle Glade. During the gathering, Tamposi provided a history of the foundation and described plans for the facility to provide after-school activities and tutoring for children. A multinational, multilingual women’s club with 48 members from 31 countries, Les Girls of Palm Beach donates annually to a local charity. ABOVE: Covarrubias and Tamposi. Photo provided

Several guests attended the debut of the ‘Visualizing Climate Disruption’ exhibition highlighting more than 40 works from 17 Palm Beach County-based professional artists. On display through April 8, the show focuses on artists’ perspectives of climate change. With Florida on the front lines of sea-level rise, climbing temperatures, catastrophic storms, devastation of coral reefs and disappearing sea grasses, the exhibition aims to engage local audiences. ABOVE: Sandra Miller Swill stands before a collection of her work. RIGHT: Lorraine Rabin and Michelle Marra. Photos provided by Jacek Gancarz

The third annual GPA, benefiting the Eda & Cliff Viner Community Scholars Foundation, was a festive night of ‘funraising.’ Tyler Cameron, a contestant on season 15 of ‘The Bachelorette,’ made an appearance as a special guest. All proceeds will be earmarked for scholarships for accomplished students. This school year, the amount distributed totaled $860,000. ABOVE: (l-r) Elyse Cromer, Amanda, Cliff, Eda and Eric Viner, and Niki Knopf. Photo provided

Gary and Katherine Parr served as hosts of a party marking the Kravis Center’s 30th anniversary. The event honored members of the center’s education committee and celebrated the 3 millionth student served by the center’s education programs. ‘The education committee at the Kravis Center has a long-standing history of collaborating with different organizations in our community to bring the arts and learning to students of all ages,’ Katherine Parr said. ‘As we look at making the performing arts even more accessible, it’s an honor to work with the excellent team at the Kravis Center and an exceptional committee of dedicated community members.’ TOP: Katherine and Gary Parr. RIGHT: Dan Drennen and David Sarama. Photos provided by Mary Stucchi

The Boca West Children’s Foundation raised $1.1 million for projects serving at-risk youths at its annual gala. The event featured entertainment by the acclaimed late-night talk-show host and stand-up comedian as well as performances by Dreyfoos School of the Arts’ jazz band and dance department. ‘We were thrilled to commemorate our 13th anniversary and the significant impact the foundation has made in our community by supporting local children’s charities,’ foundation Executive Director Pamela Weinroth said, noting that since its inception in 2010, more than $18 million has been donated to 30-plus local charities. ‘The generosity of our supporters at the gala was overwhelming.’
RIGHT: (l-r) Emily Cullen, Eileen Rose, Peggy Smith, Bonnie Krich, Tracey Schwartz and Tina Patterson. Photo provided

Tony Vento, a longtime chef, puts culinary ideas to work in his offerings at Capt. Frank’s in Boynton Beach. Photo provided

By Faran Fagen

Capt. Frank’s new owner, Tony Vento, has traveled all over the Mediterranean, up and down the East Coast, and as far north as Quebec.
Every step of the way, he’s picked up ingredients for another slice of cuisine. To Vento, each region of the world he’s visited symbolizes a signature sizzle in the market’s style of sautéing.
“I’ve learned different cuisine, cultures and passion to food itself,” said Vento, who became owner of Capt. Frank’s Seafood Market in Boynton Beach in October 2021.
“After working as a chef for the past 23 years, I decided it’s time to take everything I’ve learned and bring it close to home.”
The 44-year-old lives in Boynton Beach with his wife, Diana, and their two young boys. He realized a dream when he took ownership of Capt. Frank’s.  Vento graduated from the French Culinary Institute in New York City and worked as a chef in that area until he moved to Miami, where he helped open the Ritz-Carlton in South Beach.
From there, he moved to the Ritz-Carlton Palm Beach in Manalapan (now Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa).
“I worked with some great leaders and colleagues who I learned a great deal from,” Vento said.
Next, he became a private estate/yacht chef. This is where he met former Frank’s owner Joe Sclafani.
Sclafani and his team catered Vento’s events and charters. The food was a huge hit. Vento sought a way to combine his chef expertise with the warm feeling from Sclafani and his seafood market.
In the early ’90s, Sclafani sold his partnership in a seafood market in Rye, New York, headed to Florida with his family and bought Capt. Frank’s Seafood Market. 
A year and a half ago, he sold it to Vento. Sclafani still comes in once a week to pick up fresh seafood.
In his travels, Vento enjoys the cuisine of local chefs who carved a niche in the communities in which they cook. It’s something he’s sought since he took over the fish market at Capt. Frank’s.
“As a chef I celebrate my local chefs with their ideas,” Vento said. “From Chef Judine’s granola, Chef Elio chocolate from Colombia and Chef Jeff’s local smoked fish dips.” 
Of course, Vento has brought in some new ideas for locals to treasure. For one, you can come in and create a custom menu —from wine, cheese, caviar, fresh fish and meats to desserts.
One thing that hasn’t changed are the market staples, including the market’s famous stone crabs.
A variety of fresh seafood is available along with groceries selected by Vento that fill the shelves, coolers and freezers surrounding the seafood showcase. Customers get a mouth-watering view of what they might want to pick up for dinner.
The retail and wholesale seafood market does brisk business, with the high product turnover resulting in superior freshness, Vento said.
Vento’s hobbies — besides cooking — include gardening, spending time with family, and traveling.
Capt. Frank’s is open 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday. It’s at 435 W. Boynton Beach Blvd., Boynton Beach. Phone: 561-732-3663.

Back next month
Food writer Jan Norris will return next month. Reach her at nativefla@gmail.com.

By Joe Capozzi

The Seaside Deli, the County Pocket staple that shuttered in January because of a landlord dispute, reopened on Feb. 10 under new management.  
Whether the place will return to its former glory remains to be seen. 
Missing, for now, is the actual deli where, under the previous management, friendly sandwich makers served up fresh food to customers they often knew by name.
Sandwiches are for sale at the new deli, but they’re pre-made, wrapped in cellophane and stored in a refrigerated pantry against the east wall. Also missing in the first few weeks since the reopening: beer, wine and cigarettes.  
Mohammad Amin, a clerk at the store, said Feb. 23 that the store was waiting for licenses to sell alcohol and cigarettes. He said a formal grand opening was planned in March on a date to be determined.  
Until then, plenty of soda and snacks are for sale. And Amin excitedly showed a reporter a new addition next to the register — an empty plexiglass display case awaiting a shipment of electronic cigarettes. 
Leonora Belliard, an officer in a company that owns the building and brought Amin and others in to reopen the deli, did not return phone calls seeking comment.

The Rev. Leslie Etheredge, associate Florida Conference minister for United Church of Christ, with the Rev. Todd Petty at his installation at Church of the Palms in Delray Beach. Photo provided

By Janis Fontaine

Churches throughout the country are struggling with the same issues: how to attract new members and how to keep the members they have.
Two local churches are working together to address these issues to benefit both.
Church of the Palms in Delray Beach and Boynton Beach Congregational Church have been practicing a “cooperative ministry” since May 2022. They are affiliated under United Church of Christ.
“It’s going very well,” the Rev. Todd Petty, pastor of Church of the Palms, said by phone.
In the past few years, Boynton Congregational had undergone big changes: It sold its property to the city and moved to a smaller, leased site. Then it lost its pastor. Petty started leading worship at both churches a few Sundays each month.
Finally, it just made more sense to incorporate both churches at one site — Church of the Palms. The two churches haven’t officially merged yet, but it’s likely to happen this year.
In congregations affiliated under UCC — about 5,000 churches nationally with more than a million members — most decisions are made locally, rather than by a governing body such as a diocese. Individual churches decide how conservative or progressive they want to be.
United Church of Christ often calls itself the “church of firsts.” According to ucc.org, the church was “the first historically white denomination to ordain an African-American, the first to ordain a woman, the first to ordain an openly gay man, and the first Christian church to affirm the right of same-gender couples to marry. We were in the forefront of the anti-slavery movement and the Civil Rights movement.”
The three ideals the church holds above others are inclusiveness, progressive thought and community-mindedness, and the functioning of the two local churches as one for the good of the congregants is a testament to these ideals.
Petty came to Church of the Palms in January 2020, just as the pandemic began. It was a terrible time for all churches, but to Petty, who relocated from snowbound Michigan, keeping a positive attitude for his new congregation during the pandemic was important.
United Church of Christ prides itself on being “a church of extravagant welcome,” following Jesus’ example of “gracious hospitality.” Petty said people consider two things when they are looking for a new church: Was the message meaningful and inspiring and were the people friendly?
“Our commitment is to be open and affirming, especially to the LGBTQ community,” Petty said. “We consider ourselves a progressive church with traditional worship that’s community-minded.”
UCC is a democratic church. Church members get to vote on big decisions — like who the next minister will be — and decide what they want the personality of their church to be. “We say, ‘Our congregation speaks to us, but not for us,’” Petty said.
Petty said that the No. 1 reason people come to a new church is a personal invitation. Maybe a neighbor says, “Come check out my church,” or a colleague mentions something interesting about a sermon.
Certainly, people are checking out churches online and churches need a strong presence there. Church of the Palms has a Facebook page, which is one of the best ways to stay connected. Another is to hold virtual services as the church does.
Petty said churches in general have two congregations now: in-person and virtual. Some people love the virtual option and attend more often now that services are online. Other people like to come and sit in the pews.
Petty strives to serve both.
“We also allow our facilities to be used by 12 other churches,” Petty said. “We’re a ministry of space and we’re very proud of that.”
And if you’re looking for an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, Church of the Palms has one almost every day.
Petty says he committed himself to serving God in the fifth grade, but his mother knew even earlier that her son would grow up to serve God.
He comes from a long line of preachers: His great-great-great- grandfather was the first in the family. “It’s in my DNA,” Petty said.
Church of the Palms is undergoing two important beautification projects: The church is refurbishing the stained glass out front, and it will install in the church courtyard the dalle de verre stained glass cross that Boynton Beach Congregational salvaged from its original site.
Consider this your personal invitation to come by and see what’s happening.
Church of the Palms is at 1960 N. Swinton Ave. In-person worship takes place at 10 a.m. Sunday, followed by coffee in the Friendship Center. The virtual service streams at 4:30 p.m. Call 561-276-6347.

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

Dr. Michael B. Brown is scheduled to be guest preacher at First Presbyterian Church of Delray Beach the morning of March 19.
Then at 4 p.m., he’ll be joined by Rob Tanner to speak again on “Can Retirement Be Purposeful?”
Brown is an author (A Five-Mile Walk, Bottom Line Beliefs and The Love Principle: Daily Practices for a Loving & Purposeful Life), motivational speaker, adjunct professor, and the senior minister at Marble Collegiate Church in New York City, America’s oldest existing Protestant congregation.
He is known for his “practical positivity” message and he’ll offer tips on mapping the retirement landscape.
The discussion will take place in the conference room on the second floor of the Center for Christian Studies. Light refreshments will be served. Reservations are requested. Call Nancy Fine at 561-276-6338, ext. 10, or email nancyfine@firstdelray.com.
First Presbyterian Church is at 33 Gleason St.

Cason to celebrate 120th anniversary
Cason United Methodist Church celebrates its 120th anniversary at 11 a.m. March 19, with a special service that mirrors the 1969 dedication service of Cason’s campus at the corner of Swinton Avenue and Lake Ida Road in Delray Beach.
Following the service, a catered lunch is planned on the grounds of the church. Tickets for the luncheon are $30, and reservations are required. Tables are available for $275.
Call 561-276-5302. Cason is at 342 N. Swinton Ave.

B’nai Torah concert series to wrap up with two shows
The B’nai Torah Congregation 2023 Concert Series finishes with two shows in March.
Cantor Azi Schwartz performs March 15. Schwartz is the senior cantor of Park Avenue Synagogue in New York and is known for his spiritually uplifting performances.
Cantor Magda Fishman performs March 22. The final concert of the season features Fishman with award-winning composer, pianist and music producer Maestro Tomer Adaddi.
Both performances begin at 7:30 p.m. at B’nai Torah Congregation, 6261 SW 18th St., Boca Raton. The shows will also be available virtually. Tickets start at $25 at www.btcboca.org/CS. For more information, call 561-392-8566.

Margaret Swinchoski (l-r), Donald Mokrynski and Ron Levy. Photo provided

Music at St. Paul’s trio to celebrate spring
Celebrate “Spring is in the Air” with the Palisade Virtuosi at 3 p.m. March 5 at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Delray Beach. The program will feature works for flute, clarinet and piano performed by the Bergen County, New Jersey-based ensemble Palisade Virtuosi.
The founders are three friends — Margaret Swinchoski, flute, Donald Mokrynski, clarinet, and Ron Levy, piano — who had successful solo careers but enjoy playing in an ensemble.
They must. They’ve been together for 20 years.
Music at St. Paul’s concerts take place at the church at 188 S. Swinton Ave.
A $20 donation at the door is suggested. Admission is free for guests aged 18 and younger.
Other upcoming concerts are the Lynn University Chamber Music Competition finalists (April 16); “Four for Four,” featuring the Delray String Quartet (May 7); and “The Sound of Heaven,” music for organ, harp and violin, with David Macfarlane, Kay Kemper and Valentin Mansurov (May 21).
Call 561-278-6003 or visit www.musicstpauls.org.

Boca Raton seniors to celebrate b’nai mitzvah
Seniors in Boca Raton are preparing for their b’nai mitzvah, 70 years later. Nearly 80 people make up the new Eight-Three Club at B’nai Torah Congregation, and 20 members will be called to the bimah on March 25. Some will read from the Torah and others will carry the Torah, open the ark or read the prayer for peace.
It’s customary to celebrate an 83rd birthday with a second b’nai mitzvah as a sign of gratitude for living a long life. But some 83-year-olds will celebrate for the first time. Some are women who weren’t given the chance 70 years ago, while for others, life got in the way.
You can celebrate with the grateful group at 1 p.m. March 8 at B’nai Torah Congregation, 6261 SW 18th St., Boca Raton. Call 561-392-8566 or visit www.btcboca.org.

Italian Night dinner-dance coming to St. Lucy church
The St. Padre Pio Knights of Columbus hosts its second annual St. Lucy Italian Night Dinner Dance at 5:30 p.m. March 25 in the Parish Center.
A seven-course meal with beer, wine or soda is planned, with musical entertainment by Gino DeMarco and door prizes.
Tickets are $75 and are available after Mass on weekends or by calling Dominick Conte at 561-715-0017. St. Lucy Catholic Church is at 3510 S. Ocean Blvd., Highland Beach.

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