By Steve Waters

Anglers looking for a fight will have their hands full trying to reel in an amberjack.

The big, tough fish are concentrated around deep artificial reefs off South Florida now through May, which makes hooking an AJ, as the species is commonly referred to, relatively easy.

Landing one is the real challenge.

After taking a bait or lure, amberjacks tend to head straight for the wreck. If they make it, that’s pretty much the end of the fight, because it’s next to impossible to pull them out or the fishing line will break on the wreck.

The key for anglers is to reel furiously as soon as they set the hook in an AJ to get the fish safely away from the wreck. Even then, though, the powerful fish can take line as if the reel’s in free spool, so it’s critical for anglers to keep pressure on an AJ and keep it coming to the boat.

That’s even more essential when jigging with metal or butterfly jigs, which can cost from $7 to $25. A good day jigging wrecks for AJs can cost you $100 in lures.

The best thing about butterfly or flutter jigging, as opposed to dropping live baits around wrecks, is that you can fish more efficiently.

Capt. Corey McBride likes to lower a jig just above a wreck, then quickly jig it back up.

“Just lift up the rod and reel down as fast as you can,” said McBride, who fishes wrecks in 150-300 feet. “You can never go too fast.”

If an AJ doesn’t bite and the boat is still above the wreck, drop the jig back down and try again. Be advised that the technique can wear out an angler after a dozen drops, which is usually when a 50-pound or bigger amberjack hits the jig.

The jigs can be fished on conventional and spinning outfits, preferably with 50- to 65-pound braided line. And they don’t just catch amberjacks. McBride has caught almaco jacks, cobias, groupers, blackfin tunas and kingfish while jigging wrecks.

GPS coordinates and maps of artificial reefs — typically large boats deliberately sunk offshore to create habitat on sandy bottom where none exists — are available at myfwc.com/conservation/saltwater/artificial-reefs.

Among the best wrecks for amberjacks are many of the more than two dozen artificial reefs sunk off Deerfield Beach and Pompano Beach by the old Pompano Beach Fishing Rodeo. There are a handful of scattered reefs off Boca Raton, Delray Beach and Boynton Beach.

On a wreck-fishing trip out of Boca Raton Inlet, Capt. Rick Redeker said that deeper wrecks often are better than shallower wrecks because they receive less fishing pressure. So if you start shallow and fishing is slow, don’t hesitate to fish farther offshore.

“If you can’t catch an amberjack on one wreck, move to another until you find them,” Redeker said.“There’s so many wrecks out there.”

His favorite bait for amberjacks is a small live bonito, which he catches by trolling a string of small jigs and spoons. Live blue runners and goggle-eyes also are effective, and grunts and pinfish will usually work.

We used 50-pound outfits with 200-pound braided line with a three-way swivel. The swivel was tied to a 10- to 20-foot leader of 80- to 130-pound monofilament with a big circle hook and a short piece of 40- or 50-pound monofilament attached to a lead sinker of 8 to 16 ounces, the weight depending on the strength of the current.

Redeker positioned his boat so the bait dropped to the bottom on the edge of the wreck instead of in the wreck. That way, when an AJ was hooked, Redeker could drive away from the wreck to improve the odds of getting the fish to the boat.

If you want to keep an amberjack, the daily bag limit in the Atlantic Ocean is one per person and the size limit is 28 inches from the tip of the nose to the fork of the tail. The season is open all year except for the month of April, when it’s closed.

Outdoors writer Steve Waters can be reached at steve33324@aol.com.

Emily Popolizio with the Cason Kids Chorus, which sang at what the church dubbed the Intergenerational Love Luncheon. Photos provided

By Janis Fontaine

On Valentine’s Day, more than two dozen children from the youth programs at Cason United Methodist Church in Delray Beach donned red aprons and white gloves to serve a festive lunch to nearly 50 guests. 

The sold-out lunch, which filled Fellowship Hall with lively chatter and laughter, raised more than $800 for kids in foster care. Guests filled tables decorated with flowers and handmade party favors. A feast featuring a fruit cup, pasta salad, sandwiches, chips and dessert was served by the young waitstaff. 

The event was a cooperative effort of Cason Kids Care, for ages 5-11, and the newer God Squad, for kids 12 and older. Both are led by Emily Popolizio and a team of helpers. 

Popolizio, who taught elementary school for 41 years in Massachusetts, established Cason Kids Care five years ago when she saw a void in children’s programming at the church. 

“I said, I’ll try something. So I pulled together a group of parents, grandparents and teachers and said, ‘What do you want for your kids?’ What I found out was, no matter where people were on the spectrum of organized religion, they wanted their kids to be decent human beings, to have a sense of moral justice. So, I started a program that addressed those needs.” 

Cason Kids Care meets on Saturdays twice a month to learn about people less fortunate. The topic of kids in foster care climaxed with the luncheon.

Cason Kids Care started with nine members and grew to 28 over the next three years. Then, as kids aged out of the first program, Miss Emily started the God Squad, which meets on Sundays, for those older than 12. Cason Kids has 21 regular attendees, and the God Squad has 11 members. Not all of them attend Cason. 

Miss Emily has a team of helpers, including sisters Cathy Commagere and Patti Alexander, plus a trio of ladies she can always count on to lend a hand. Betty Crane, Sandi Schmidt and Loreley Hinderling, who also volunteer in the church office, made buckets of pasta salad, carefully following a recipe for uniformity. “We like to help,” Betty said. 

Alex Higgs, an eighth-grader at Don Estridge Middle School, is a member of God Squad and a former Cason Kid. He said he likes “that I’m doing something good. I feel bad for the kids who don’t have homes.” 

Alex’s sister, Kayla Higgs, is known as “the girl who does everything for everybody.” She supervised Isaac Durr as the young servers took the people’s orders, delivered their drinks and food, and cleared away the dishes when they were done. Isaac was nervous, but he didn’t show it. He deftly delivered cups of sweet tea and lemonade, and Kayla said, “Isaac did a really good job. I was proud of him.” 

Popolizio agreed. “I was just so filled with pride for the kids. To me, it’s refreshing to see kids really step up to the plate. A couple of them said, ‘Oh, I’m so nervous,’ but I told them, ‘Jesus is in your back pocket. Just say quickly, Jesus, give me some courage here, and you’ll be able to handle it.’ And they certainly did. They really did such a great job.”

Also stepping up was God Squad member Ciela Caycho, a budding entrepreneur who made the cake pops the kids served for dessert. She embraced the process of dipping molded cake in chocolate, handcrafting and wrapping more than 50 cake pops for the luncheon. 

Popolizio, who will be 80 this year, “has so much passion and energy,” Commagere said. “She’s so organized, it’s hard for anything to go wrong.” 

Kayla Higgs (in blue), working with Isaac Durr, takes lunch orders from a table with Mable McDonough (left) and Jill Petrille. McDonough, 99, is an icon at Cason UMC. Petrille is her granddaughter.

Teaching tough concepts 

Experts say teaching kids principles of kindness and empathy leads to acts of compassion. But it doesn’t happen automatically. It’s tough to teach kids about concepts that, as adults, we don’t understand ourselves. Educator Dr. Jennie Warmouth wrote in an education blog for National Geographic that empathy is “the ability to perceive, understand, and vicariously share in the thoughts, feelings and experiences of another living being.”

Simply put, empathy comes back to that old adage of walking a mile in another man’s shoes. 

But we don’t just want kids to acknowledge their feelings, Warmouth said. We want to motivate them to compassionate action, to help another in distress.

 “The great news,” Warmouth wrote, “is that empathy can be developed, strengthened, and reinforced throughout our lives.” 

Popolizio says, “In the deepest, darkest recess of their hearts, there is a feeling of wanting to be good and wanting to understand and wanting to help. And if you can tap into that, it grows. I think there’s something inside all of us, but it does need to be nurtured and explored and helped and encouraged to grow. That’s the answer, I think.” 

Each month, Cason Kids Care has a theme like homelessness or hunger, but this was the first time Popolizio tackled foster care. Each unit has two components: an introduction to the topic the first week and an activity or action that puts that theme into perspective for the second meeting. The Valentine’s Day lunch was the first time Miss Emily’s groups took on such a large project. 

To introduce the topic, Popolizio said, “I read books to the kids, and I use video clips and then ask kids what they are feeling or thinking. Sometimes I do puppet shows. They get very caught up in caring for other people. To me, that’s the best part of it, the way they become when they’re tuned in to the plight of other people.” 

Popolizio learned long ago that “the best thing to do when you’re suffering is get up and serve others and do something. That really pulled me through most of my life,” she said. When you’re focusing on someone else it’s impossible to wallow in your own self-pity.  

Empathy for the elderly is a favorite lesson for the group because it comes with a lot of good-natured laughter. “We do experiential learning that shows what it feels like to be old,” Popolizio said.

Miss Emily gives each child a purse and sets up a pretend store. She has the kids tape popsicle sticks to their fingers, put gravel in their shoes and wear nonprescription glasses smeared with Vaseline to mimic the quagmires of aging their elderly friends and family face. 

“They were challenged just trying to get the money out of the wallet,” Popolizio laughed.

For the unit on foster care, Popolizio introduced the kids to 4KIDS.org.

 4KIDS Palm Beach (4kids.us/locations/palm-beach) opened in 2006 with a goal of supporting and recruiting foster families in Palm Beach County. Its mission is “to provide loving, Christian homes for these children, keep siblings together, and give hope and healing to kids, teens, and families through prevention and therapy services.”

In 2023, there were nearly 1,000 kids living apart from their families in Palm Beach County. Half of them were under 5 years old. Statewide, the number of kids living in “out-of-home placement” exceeded 17,000 kids. The numbers are staggering, but the kids got the message.

“When encouraged, the kids’ spirit for helping others is there,” Popolizio said. “I think that’s the intrinsic goodness that God places in all of us, and hopefully they grow up with a social conscience to right some of the wrongs. You can’t fix everything, but in the long run, acts of kindness and empathy for others is going to save all of us.”   

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

David Harris will speak March 11 at Temple Beth El about his recently published book and the dangers of antisemitism. Photo provided by the American Jewish Committee

David Harris, a Jewish activist who was CEO of the American Jewish Committee from 1990 to 2022, will speak about “Antisemitism: Where Are We Today and Where Are We Going,” at 7 p.m. March 11 at the Schaefer Family Campus of Temple Beth El, 333 SW Fourth Ave., Boca Raton. 

The late Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres called him the “foreign minister of the Jewish people.” Harris has been honored more than 20 times by foreign governments for his international work, making him the most decorated American Jewish organizational leader in U.S. history.

Harris also will discuss his recently published book, Antisemitism: What Everyone Needs to Know, and will share his insights and answer questions.

The event is free, but registration is required at tbeboca.org/event/antisemitism-where-we-are-today-and-where-we-are-going-with-guest-speaker-david-harris/. You can also call 561-391-8900. 

Community seders planned to mark Passover

Pesach or Passover, the eight-day Jewish holiday that celebrates the Jewish emancipation from Egyptian slavery, begins before sundown on April 1 and ends after nightfall on April 9. 

The holiday is celebrated with a seder meal featuring traditional foods and strictly devoid of any leaven. It also includes retelling the story of the Exodus. 

Some local chabads and synagogues have community events planned where members and guests can enjoy a special Passover seder:

L’Dor Va-Dor’s Community Pre-Passover Seder Luncheon — 1-4 p.m. March 29; 6100 Boynton Beach Blvd., Boynton Beach. A meaningful and musical Passover Seder with all the traditions and foods specific to the holiday. Music and song will be provided by Cantor Carol Garrett. Reservations are required at 561–968–0688. Info: ldorvador.org/events/ldor-va-dors-community-pre-passover-seder-luncheon-boynton-beach-save-the-date/

Temple Sinai of Palm Beach County’s First Night Passover Seder — 6 p.m. April 1; 2475 W. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach. Conducted by Rabbi Steven Moss and Cantorial Soloist Shir Rozzen, enjoy a traditional Passover menu with a Seder Plate on each table. Members: $85 adults, $35 ages 12 and younger. Nonmembers: $90 adults, $36 ages 12 and younger. Reservations are required at 561-276-6161, Ext. 128 or register online at templesinaipbc.net/#Seder.

A First Night Community Passover Seder at Temple Adath Or — 6:30-8:30 p.m. April 1; 440 N. Swinton Ave., Delray Beach. “From Mitzrayim to Moonlight” will feature the Exodus drama and community seder with traditional food. Parking is available at Trinity Lutheran’s back Early Childhood lot. Contact Rebekah at rebekah@taocenter.net or 404-217-4331.

Temple Beth El’s Classic 80s Second Night Passover Seder with Rabbi Dan Levin and Cantor Lori Brock — 5:30 p.m. April 2; 333 SW Fourth Ave., Boca Raton. Mixes the timeless story of Passover with the modern music and neon colors of the ‘80s. Dust off your leg warmers, tease your big hair and celebrate with the temple’s band. Members: $95 adults, $55 ages 4-12, $25 ages 3 and younger. Guests: $110 adults, $65 ages 4-12, $35 ages 3 and younger. The prices increase by $10 on March 18. Registration closes at noon March 25. Register online at tbeboca.org/event/passover-second-night-seder-with-rabbi-dan-levin-and-cantor-lori-brock/ or call 561-391-8900.

Cason concert to celebrate keyboard partnership

Cason United Methodist Church presents the 20th Anniversary Organ & Piano Concert by Ed Krynicki and Elaine Reinhardt at 3 p.m. March 15 at the church, 342 N. Swinton Ave., Delray Beach.

 These talented musicians, who have been playing together for 20 years, plan to perform spiritual and classical renditions of beloved works. A reception in their honor follows the concert. A love offering will be taken to help with the restoration of the pipe organ. Call 561-276-5302.

Miami Dolphins legend joins with CROS Ministries

Miami Dolphins Hall of Famer Dwight Stephenson joined local nonprofit CROS Ministries as its guest at the inaugural Jeans & Jerseys event on Jan. 31 at Coastal Karma Brewing Co. in Lake Park.

Chaired by Joe Black and emceed by CBS 12's Jack Wu, the evening blended football with raising money to help end food insecurity. 

CEO Ruth Mageria told the gathering, “About 192,000 individuals here in Palm Beach County struggle to make ends meet and have food on their table, and CROS wants to make sure people have food to eat. Not just during the holidays, not just during the summer but all year round.”

CROS has a 48-year legacy of service and leadership in the fight against hunger, running programs six days a week and including food pantries at 10 locations, hot meal services, and gleaning initiatives that recover fresh produce from local farms.

Grace event will bring attention to foster care

Grace Community Church will host a free family-friendly event with local bands, personal stories, an artist, and a spoken word poet at 5-7 p.m. March 8 at the church, 600 W. Camino Real, Boca Raton. 

The principal sponsor is the Declare No More Foundation, whose traveling events engage churches and other organizations to bring attention to the nearly 400,000 kids in foster care in the United States. The event will feature expert speakers in the field.

“Our goal is to put as many faces to the need as possible, and to provide as many opportunities as possible for people to connect to what is needed and respond to that need with action,” foundation co-founder Tami Kent says. “We want every person who comes to the event, whether they are in college, retired, or any stage of life in between, to see how they can personally make a difference in the life of a child.” 

Learn how churches can aid push for affordable housing

“New Ground: Transforming Faith-based Land Into Affordable Housing” is the topic of discussion at a seminar from 9 a.m. to noon March 19 at the André Fladell Civic Center, 16700 Jog Road, Delray Beach. 

Learn more about YIGBY legislation. YIGBY is an acronym for “Yes In God’s Backyard” and a direct response to the NIMBY (Not in My Backyard)-like movement that opposes the development of affordable housing and necessary infrastructure in certain areas.

Discover how faith-based organizations are leading a charge to develop housing on church properties which will help break the cycle of homelessness. The Housing Leadership Council of Palm Beach County and Faith in Action plan to attend. 

The free event is organized by Palm Beach County Community Services. Register at lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/qmeyz2x. For more information, call 561-355-4700 or email communityservices@pbcgov.org. 

Boca church partners with nonprofit to host job fair 

Better Together is partnering with the International Bible Church to host a community job fair from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 19 at the church, 470 NW Fourth Ave., Boca Raton.

Better Together (bettertogetherus.org) is a privately funded, Naples-based nonprofit. Its mission is to build strong families and communities by helping parents going through hard times keep their kids out of foster care, find work and address the causes of their struggles so that they can reunite as a family. 

Better Together started by asking: What if the church got there first — to catch families before they fall? Now the organization works with churches, employers and neighbors to build a volunteer-powered safety net that parents can trust for help. The job fair features free one-on-one coaching sessions and résumé reviews along with prospective employers. 

Registration is open for job seekers and employers, which include AWP Safety, Pollo Tropical, Ring Power and the School District of Palm Beach County. Register at BetterTogetherUS.org/IntBible or text “JOBS” to 844-987-3949. 

‘Revelation’ class offered at Spanish River Church

David Cassidy, lead pastor at Spanish River Church, will teach a five-week adult learning series on the Book of Revelation, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Wednesday evenings, April 8 through May 6. 

Explore what the Bible really says about the second coming of Christ, cutting through confusion with clear, Scripture-based teaching. Each week will include an opportunity to ask questions and engage in meaningful discussion. 

Classes take place in the Connect Center Auditorium at the church, 2400 Yamato Road, Boca Raton. Child care is available for kids up to age 5. Register at spanishriver.com/study. For more information, call 561-994-5000 or email hello@spanishriver.com. 

Join Yoga Mass and Sacred Movement at St. Gregory’s

St. Gregory’s Episcopal continues to offer two programs that combine movement and prayer. At 4 p.m. March 19, Yoga and Sacred Movement mixes gentle stretching movements and breath work with reflection on scripture and prayer. The program is led by parishioner and yoga instructor Daphne Lombardo under the direction of the Rev. Dr. Robyn Neville and is open to seniors and families. 

At 4 p.m. March 28, join Yoga Mass in St. Mary’s Chapel, a combination of graceful yoga, words of faith and contemplative meditation with the Rev. Elizabeth Pankey-Warren and Neville leading. 

For both events, bring a yoga mat and water. The church is at 100 NE Mizner Blvd., Boca Raton. Call 561-395-8285 or email rneville@st-gregorys.com. 

Retreat to teach skills of Byzantine chant

The Young Aspiring Chanters are hosting a retreat March 6-8 to educate, inspire and unite the next generation of Orthodox chanters in an attempt to preserve the sacred art of Byzantine chant for generations to come. 

The retreat at St. Mark Greek Orthodox Church, 2100 Yamato Road in Boca Raton, is hosted by the Chant Stand, a nonprofit that teaches the skills required for chanting the sacred hymns of the Orthodox Church. The retreat’s classes, for ages 18 to 35, are taught by Samuel Herron and John Michael Boyer, who are protopsaltis, a kind of choir director. 

The retreat will feature interactive workshops, meals, course materials and certificate of participation. Registration ($100) is at thechantstand.org.

St. Lucy Catholic Church seeking more ushers

Father Brian Horgan at St. Lucy Catholic Church in Highland Beach sent out a call in the church bulletin for ushers. He wrote, “Ushers serve in a unique way. They are often the first to greet those who enter the church, offering a word of welcome and assistance.

“During Mass, they help with seating, collections, and attending to the needs of parishioners. They also assist in maintaining a sense of order and awareness, helping to ensure that our worship may take place in a prayerful and respectful atmosphere. In many ways, ushers are a visible sign of hospitality and care for all who come to worship. At present, we are in serious need of additional ushers.” 

If you feel called to help, contact Chris Sifuentes, parish operations manager, at 561-278-1280 to register. 

The church also has two festive (and delicious) events in March. At 6 p.m. March 14 in Parish Hall, the St. Lucy Sisterhood hosts “La Dolce Vita Dinner and Dance” with food and wine, door prizes and live music. Tickets are $100. 

The Brotherhood of St. Lucy invites everyone to its annual Lenten Fish Fry, which is offered 5-7 p.m. Fridays through March 27 in Parish Hall. 

This year promises to be better than ever with no charge for the meal. In the true spirit of Lent and Christian generosity, donations are welcome and will help support the charitable and spiritual works of the parish. 

St. Lucy is at 3510 S. Ocean Blvd., Highland Beach. Call 561-278-1280 or visit stlucy.net. 

Pop-opera trio to play at First Presbyterian Church

The First Delray Concert Series at First Presbyterian Church of Delray Beach continues with “The Latin Divos… and Friends” at 4 p.m. March 29 at the church, 33 Gleason St. The pop-opera trio Fernando Gonzales, Ernesto Cabrera and Will Corujo will be joined by instrumentalists on piano, saxophone, violin, bass, guitar and percussion, as well as special guest vocalist Gabriela Corujo. Tickets are $20 each, available at firstdelray.com/concerts/upcoming-concerts.

Lou Ann Frala contributed to this column.

— Janis Fontaine

Dr. Brianna Gaines with her cat, Willow. Gaines, a veterinarian in Boca Raton, says diagnosing pet allergies can be tricky and time-consuming, but pets may display symptoms such as intense scratching, excessive licking and writhing on their backs (below). Photos provided 

By Arden Moore

Itch. Scratch. Lick. Sneeze. Repeat. 

The arrival of spring signals the start of allergy season across the country for far too many dogs and cats. But here in Palm Beach County, allergy issues occur year-round thanks to our warm climate.

“In South Florida, allergy season feels like it never really ends,” says Brianna Gaines, DVM, of Healthy Pets Boca North in Boca Raton. “Our warm climate means pollens, grasses and environmental allergens are around almost year-round. It can be tough to predict which seasonal shift will trigger a flare-up.”

Often, she must tap into her inner pet detective to identify the cause and then provide the right treatment to relieve pets contending with allergies.

Pets contending with a yet-to-be-identified allergen show signs that can include:

•  Sneezing frequently and displaying watery eyes.

•  Intensely scratching their bodies.

•  Excessively licking paws and bodies.

•  Nibbling on their paws or skin to the point of causing rashes and open sores.

•  Developing lumps or bumps on the skin.

•  Constantly rubbing their faces or ears.

Environmental allergens and fleas can and do menace pets in South Florida year-round. Topping the list locally are:

Tree pollen: Juniper, bald cypress, oak, pine and mango pollen can trigger skin irritation and other health issues in pets. 

Grasses and weeds: High pollen counts can be found in common Florida grasses, led by Bermuda and Bahia as well as weeds, such as dog fennel and ragweed. 

Mold and mildew: Our humid climate enables mold spores to thrive in landscaping.

Fleas: They thrive here year-round because there is never a truly hard freeze to disrupt the fleas’ egg production.  

“Flea allergies are also incredibly common here and can make everything worse,” says Gaines. “Even one flea bite can send an allergic pet into a full flare-up. Unfortunately, many over-the-counter preventatives aren’t as reliable as they used to be. Prescription flea prevention is really the best way to stay ahead of the problem.” 

Some pets can also be allergic to certain foods or even lawn chemicals, such as fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides. That’s why it is vital to work closely with your veterinarian to provide necessary tests to pinpoint the culprit.

“Skin problems can snowball quickly,” says Gaines. “The earlier we intervene, the easier they are to manage. Remember, the skin is the largest organ in the body. It takes time to heal.”

Be ready to practice patience in the quest to find the cause. That often requires your veterinarian to analyze blood and skin samples and to perform other diagnostic tests. 

In the era of quick answers found on Google or ChatGPT, Gaines recommends that pet parents seek guidance from their veterinarians.

“We all want quick answers,” she says. “But when it comes to skin issues, it’s best to skip the over-the-counter supplements, random diet changes and topical treatments, and go straight to your veterinarian.”

She adds, “Dermatology is especially interesting because it’s rarely a one-and-done fix. There is no exact cure for the allergic dog. Managing their allergies is an ongoing process.”

In finding relief for your pet,  “the biggest challenge is that it often takes time — and a bit of trial and error — to figure out what works,” Gaines says.

“We may try different tests, topicals, diets, oral medications or injectables before we land on the right combination. But when we finally crack the code and a pet who has been miserable is suddenly comfortable again, it’s the best feeling.” 

Arden Moore is an author, pet podcast show host and master certified pet first aid instructor. Check out her sites: petfirstaid4u.com and ardenmoore.com. 

Practice these at-home tips  

Be proactive for your pet’s sake to mitigate allergic reactions. Strive to:

• Get in the habit of using pet wipes or a damp cloth to wipe away any pollen on your dog’s fur and paws after each walk.

•  Bathe your dog regularly with hypoallergenic pet shampoos designed to remove allergens from the skin. 

•  Make sure your dog and cat receive veterinarian-approved flea and tick preventative medication year-round.

•  Invest in HEPA air filters and vacuum often to combat indoor allergens.

Learn more

Healthy Pets Boca North provides an array of dermatology services for pets. The clinic also offers an in-depth section on skin issues that can be found at this link: healthypetsbocanorth.com/pet-dermatology-boca-raton-fl/. 

You can also learn more dermatological info by visiting this link provided by the veterinary team at Colonial Animal Hospital in Boynton Beach: colonialanimalhospital.com/dermatology/.

Fifth-grade students at Orchard View Elementary read poems to the adult volunteers who were on hand to read to students as part of the annual Delray Reads program. Photo provided

Experience luxurious beachfront living at 6201 N. Ocean Blvd., a hidden tropical sanctuary in Ocean Ridge. Set on an expansive 50-by-418-foot deep oceanfront lot, it is tucked behind a private entrance on Edith Street. This offers a rare blend of charm, privacy, and island-inspired elegance.

The great room at the entry level is the heart of the home, featuring soaring two-story ceilings and floor-to-ceiling glass doors that capture breathtaking ocean views. 

Designed for both relaxed coastal living and effortless entertaining, with 3,225 +/- total living space, this residence —  built in 2000 —  includes three bedrooms and 2.5 baths in the main house, along with a separate two-bedroom, one-bath guest house that is perfect for hosting family and friends in comfort and privacy. Vaulted ceilings abound, marble and wood floors lie throughout, and designer amenities are numerous, including two attached, single-car garages on the west side of the home.

Offered at $9,249,000.

Contact The Pascal Liguori Estate Group, 561-789-8300. Premier Estate Properties, 900 E. Atlantic Ave., #4, Delray Beach; PLEG@premierestateproperties.com.

Delray Beach is trying to save a massive banyan tree on its municipal golf course that the Lake Worth Drainage District says must come down because it poses a flooding danger if it were to fall into the adjacent canal during a hurricane. The golf course clubhouse can be seen to the left. John Pacenti/The Coastal Star

By John Pacenti 

Whenever a major municipal project commences, there is always a chance to find buried treasure — in this case, it was more than 70 years old and rose 50 feet into the sky. 

During work on a $33 million renovation project at Delray Beach’s historic municipal golf course, crews discovered that what they thought was a large grove of trees was in fact a single, sprawling banyan tree — possibly the largest in southern Palm Beach County.

However, the tree — which is visible from the clubhouse’s ballroom — also significantly encroaches upon a nearby canal, and the Lake Worth Drainage District has asked for it to be removed. An engineering report found that if the tree fell during a tropical storm, significant flooding could occur.

What looked at first blush to be a feel-good story about saving a historic tree morphed into a clash of jurisdictions between Delray Beach and the drainage district — one defined by land, the other defined by water.

"I don't want to say the heavy-handedness of the Lake Worth Drainage District,” Mayor Tom Carney said. “But we were never really in the game, and they just really dictated terms. I don't believe that that's proper."

It doesn’t look good for the tree. 

Delray Beach entered into a contract with the drainage district in 1994 to remove trees as directed or face the legal — and costly — consequences. Still, city commissioners at a Feb. 18 special meeting chose to hire an arborist to produce a report to try to persuade the drainage district to reverse its decision.

The banyan's trunk system can make it look like multiple trees, but it is only one tree, with a canopy covering about a half-acre. Photo provided

A champion banyan?

An arborist has already evaluated the tree — which is a Chinese banyan — and determined it is in good health, with a robust canopy that could make it a candidate for Florida Forest Service champion tree recognition.

“The 78-year-old banyan tree is a part of the history of our golf course and needs to be protected,” Carney told The Coastal Star. “It has survived many hurricanes over the years and has the root system necessary to survive the storms to come. Protecting it is a fight worth having.”

Public Works Director Missie Barletto told the commission at its Jan. 6 meeting that staff thought at first it was just a grove of trees, but once the underbrush was cleared away, they realized it was all one tree covering about a half-acre.

As a banyan tree grows, its horizontal branches become longer and heavier, and it sprouts "aerial roots" that hang down like threads. Once these threads touch the ground, they take root and thicken into woody "accessory trunks.” 

Photos show that the tree with the brain-shaped canopy was already present in a 1953 image of the golf course, indicating the tree has stood on the property for generations.

The course designer and contractor support efforts to retain the banyan and are prepared to help mitigate any construction schedule impacts, Barletto said. The arborist who looked at it initially feels like it may be a candidate for a Florida Forest Service Champion Tree Award, she said. 

A river runs through it

The E-4 canal runs north-south, separating the golf course from the residential neighborhoods and businesses to the east toward Congress Avenue. Its role is to remove heavy rainfall from neighborhoods. 

Lake Worth Drainage District officials have told city staff that the tree would need to be removed unless the city obtains a variance. 

The city told the drainage district it would take responsibility for the tree if it fell into the canal after a major storm and would add a codicil to the city’s debris‑removal contract to ensure the city can respond quickly to protect safety and navigation, Barletto said.

But a drainage district engineer’s report portrayed the banyan somewhat as the Al Capone of trees. 

There was even a dark AI-generated image of what would occur if it fell into the canal during a tropical tempest. Trees damaged during hurricanes past — like Category 5 Andrew — were shown as a grim reminder.

Of note is that the drainage district didn’t demand the tree be removed until the recent redo of the golf course. Yet again, the city didn’t even know about the tree until the renovation.

Tommy Strowd, the drainage district’s executive director, did not return a phone call for comment.

City makes ‘tree-mendous’ stand

Commissioner Tom Markert has been a champion of the tree as well. “Save the tree. This is a no-brainer,” he said when it first came up at the commission’s Jan. 6 meeting. He and Barletto then spoke at the Lake Worth Drainage District’s Feb. 11 board meeting to no avail.

Carney called the Feb. 18 special meeting of the Delray Beach City Commission to discuss the tree, and, once again, bickering ensued.

Carney suggested seeking an injunction against the drainage district. But City Attorney Lynn Gelin said that the district’s request was indeed proper per the contract and that the city would have a hard time challenging it. 

Commissioner Juli Casale said the tree is 90% on property owned by the drainage district.

Markert, citing an emailed newsletter, accused Carney of saying he was a failure because the drainage district ruled against the city. Then a discussion ensued not on the tree, but whether the newsletter was sent from the mayor’s web address.

City Manager Terrence Moore aimed to turn the temperature down, knowing a fight with the drainage district does the city no good.

A consensus was finally reached to have an arborist do his own report to try to get the drainage district to reconsider. If it does not, the city has until March 13 — Friday the 13th — to remove the tree, Moore said.

Jim Chard, chairman of the Historic Preservation Board, spoke during the public comments at the special meeting. He said the arborist the city is hiring thinks removing the tree will actually damage the integrity of the canal bank since the roots go so deep. He said the arborist’s report can be finished by Feb. 20.

The manager said he will work on parallel tracks of continuing the effort to save the tree while preparing for its demise. He tempered expectations.

"If there's any time an opportunity exists to preserve a tree, save whatever we can, we take every effort to do so,” Moore said. “This was an arduous consideration, an arduous request, because, as it turns out, Lake Worth Drainage District has never in known history granted such an authorization.”

There is a bit of good news for golfers, though, Barletto said in January.

The renovation of the municipal course has already made rapid progress since construction began in December. She said crews are moving at “an incredible pace” and that keeping the tree would be a priority.

Recent weather fronts and high tides have carved out 12-foot sand cliffs at South Inlet Park in Boca Raton. The severe erosion has exposed the inlets dredge piper, reduced dry beach area and limited public access, especially near the south jetty. These pictures were taken Thursday morning, Feb. 12. Photos by Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

Above: Caroline Baker of Pittsburgh, overlooking the beach cliffs,  is visiting her parents in Boca Raton. She has been spending her mornings journaling at South Inlet Park. Right: What the beach area typically looks like can be  seen in this photo taken a year ago. Below: Sunrise over the inlet on Feb. 12. Bottom: A view of the eroded coastline, with Baker seated at top, and limited beach space.

The Coastal Star was honored by the Florida Press Club with 17 overall awards, including five first-place honors, announced Jan. 31 during a ceremony in West Palm Beach. Staff photo/The Coastal Star

By Henry Fitzgerald

The Coastal Star won 17 awards at an annual Florida Press Club dinner held in West Palm Beach on Jan. 31, reeling in five first-place awards, five second-place awards, six third-place awards and one honorable mention.

The first-place awards went to Jane Musgrave for business news, Larry Barszewski and Musgrave for breaking news, John Pacenti for public safety reporting, Faran Fagen for sports feature stories, and Sharon Geltner for her arts news entry.

The newspaper also received second- and third-place awards in the prestigious Lucy Morgan Award competition for in-depth reporting. The second-place award was for its coverage of the Brightline train collision with a Delray Beach fire truck and related stories. The third-place award was for a package of stories about safety on State Road A1A, including ones about a pedestrian struck and killed in Delray Beach and a cyclist killed in Boca Raton.

The paper’s other second-place awards came in general news photography, business news, health writing and light features. The other third-place awards were in art news, commentary, environmental writing, minority news and public safety reporting. The honorable mention was for environmental writing.

“I'm very proud of the work you all did,” Editor Larry Barszewski wrote in an email to the staff. “I'm especially glad a number of you were able to be there and be recognized by your peers for your outstanding work.”

Musgrave won a first-place award for business stories she wrote that detailed the travails of a beleaguered owner of a decrepit house in Ocean Ridge once owned by an ex-wife of former automobile executive John DeLorean (February 2025), another about Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison purchasing the Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa (September 2024), and a third — Buy and Bulldoze — about how millionaires and billionaires now think nothing of buying multimillion-dollar homes only to raze them to build even bigger and better (April 2025).  

She and Barszewski received a first-place award for their story about a double murder at 365 Ocean, a boutique extended stay hotel on A1A in Boca Raton (October 2024).

Pacenti’s first place award came for a trio of stories, which included an article about five drownings due to rip currents off the coast of Palm Beach County (November 2024); angry beachgoers in Ocean Ridge fed up with pooches pooping on the beach (April 2025); and Delray Beach trying to decide what to do with money it received from a national opioid settlement (July 2024).

Fagen’s first-place award was based on a story he wrote about children with special needs playing baseball in the Miracle League of Palm Beach County (January 2025), and one about a junior national champion squash player at St. Andrew’s High School from Delray Beach (May 2025).

Sharon Geltner earned her first-place prize for her article about the Palm Beach County arts community being shocked when Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed 100% of the state’s arts grants (July 2024).

The awards ceremony marked the 76^th anniversary of the Florida Press Club’s founding. The competition covered the period from June 1, 2024 through May 31, 2025.

Related: Three first-time candidates square off in commission race | City Commission election candidate profiles

By John Pacenti

The Coastal Star interviewed the three Delray Beach City Commission candidates competing against each other in the city's March 10 election. Their answers have been edited for brevity.  

Q: Why are you running, and what do you think you would bring to the commission that your opponents would not? 

Andrea Keiser: I really think that the commission needs more representation of the next generation of Delray residents. 

Delores Rangel: I want to bring my 27 years of experience working with the commission to serving on the commission. I bring a wealth of institutional knowledge that my opponents don't possess, plus I've lived in Delray for 59 years. I have seen what works and what doesn't.

Judy Mollica: I'm running to positively influence the city that I love and be a steward to the things that are good about Delray Beach, and then help creatively and collaboratively solve things that need to be improved.

***

Q: For coastal residents, what is your message to them? 

Keiser: It is important to protect our beach and the quality of life for those who live there. We have earned accolades for our beaches and it is important to renourish it.  …  Because of the mix of private and public uses, the coast needs to be patrolled for general safety and the noise ordinance should be enforced. People choose to live on the coast to hear the ocean, not the downtown. 

Rangel: Our beach is our jewel - maintaining it will always be a top priority, but we must continue to explore methods other than renourishment to preserve it. … There are street flooding issues and residents want better enforcement of the "No Wake" zone on the Intracoastal. I will work with the Beach Property Owners Association and coastal residents to address these issues.

Mollica: I would say that I am big into protecting our beaches. Obviously, that's a big calling card for Delray Beach …There's some talk about that (artificial) reefs could possibly take care of that, but there are no reefs. We call it reef restoration, or at least that's what's being spoken about. But there really hasn't been any."

***

Q: City Manager Terrence Moore did not publicly bring the ICE agreement that would deputize city police officers as federal immigration agents in front of the commission. Was this a misstep?

Keiser: Should the community have input on this very important issue? The answer is always going to be a resounding ‘yes.’

Rangel: Yes, I do believe it was a misstep. The ICE agreement should have warranted a discussion at the City Commission level.  On matters of such significant community impact, I believe transparency is important. 

Mollica: Absolutely, so everybody else could be as outraged as I am about it, right? ... I don't think in the end, we could have done anything different, right? Because, much like the crosswalk thing, they didn't give us a choice.”

***

Q: Mayor Tom Carney has criticized the Downtown Development Authority and there is a state audit. What are your thoughts on the DDA’s performance and whether there is government waste? 

Keiser: You have to be accountable and responsible for the use of that (taxpayer) money and ensure it's being used in the proper way…

Rangel: I saw firsthand how the DDA transformed our downtown into the vibrant scene it is today, under the leadership of Executive Director Laura Simon. Downtown businesses are extremely satisfied with the DDA's performance. The city's audit turned up issues that the DDA is addressing.  The only "waste " here is the waste of time and taxpayer money by subjecting the DDA to an additional state audit.

Mollica: It feels to me from the outside looking in that this poor agency is being bullied. And, you know, there could be a chance that it gets dissolved because there's an appetite for that anyway, in Tallahassee, to dissolve CRAs and DDAs.  I think they do a lot for this city.

***

Q: Gov. DeSantis wants to eliminate the property tax for homesteaded properties. What is your position and your thoughts on Tallahassee’s effect on home rule? 

Keiser:  I think lowering costs for our families and our residents is always a priority. However, there's also the other side, where people are scared that it's going to detrimentally impact our essential services if we cut that much revenue.

Rangel: The growing trend of state preemption is shifting power away from elected officials and toward the state capitol.  When the legislature preempts local control over areas like development, it limits the residents' voice as to how their community grows.

Mollica: I’m outraged by the erosion of home rule. I think that the property tax proposals sound attractive to people, but what it's actually going to do for a municipality is going to defund our police, and it's going to defund our fire (department.) It's going to defund any road work. It's going to defund any beach restoration. It will defund us entirely.

***

Q: Affordable housing remains a problem in Delray Beach, Florida and the U.S. in general. What can the city be doing to address this problem?

Keiser: I want to make sure when we say affordable housing, that it's housing with dignity. … We need to have diversity of all types of housing. You need to have housing available for every level, for every resident in this city."

Rangel: City commissioners also serve on the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) board and a large part of the CRA's mission is to provide affordable housing, like Carver Square and Island Cove, built in partnerships with other organizations.  I am committed to identifying properties in Delray Beach to build more affordable housing and expanding initiatives to ensure that essential workers and long-term residents can continue to live here.

Mollica: There are so many ways to approach affordable housing. One of the ways that does not appear to be working is the workforce housing, where the developer gets to choose what level of workforce housing they can put in that building. It’s always the highest level, and doesn't necessarily equate with what people are making.

***

Q: Do you feel the city at this stage needs to hold the line on large developments for downtown?

Keiser: I’m not sure why I have to be pro-development or anti-development. I think it really is about time and place, right? So, you know, every piece of real estate is different.

Rangel: The commission should carefully consider any proposed new large development for the downtown, because we all need a break. The building of Atlantic Crossing has certainly taken its toll and residents are really tired of all the construction, noise and traffic from these massive projects that go on for years.

Mollica: One of the things that is disheartening to me is seeing all of the businesses disappear and townhomes going up in their place.

Braving a record-setting cold snap, Boca Raton couple Andrew Hance and Veronica Wilkins endure near-freezing conditions at the beach to have some engagement photos taken by Boca Raton resident Alexia Abreu and her friend Justin Lara (below). ABOVE: Hance and Wilkins were drenched by a wave that caught them and Abreu by surprise. Abreau had the luxury of coming dressed for the day’s cold weather, with the eventual high reaching only into the upper 40s. Photos by Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

Scientists want to study native whaling site when development breaks ground

Afro-Caribbean religion, ritual evident in Hammock Park, anthropologist says

Anthropologist Dorothy Block walks through the woods of Hammock Park, where she has found evidence of Afro-Caribbean beach rituals. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

By John Pacenti

In the shadows of multimillion-dollar homes and the steady hum of traffic on Florida’s State Road A1A, a 1,000-year-old Native American whaling village rests on a 270,000-square-foot swath of beachfront just south of the Boynton Inlet. 

To the south of it, in Ocean Ridge Hammock Park, evidence of modern-day Santería and Vodou (the Haitian variation of Voodoo) ritual are observable to the trained eye of an anthropologist. 

Joggers pass the ancient whaling village without a second glance, and local teenagers occasionally camp in the thick woods, unaware they are sleeping near Santería shrines and Vodou spell jars.

Now, anthropologists and archaeologists are asking for cooperation when crews break ground for the town’s newest condominium — currently the site of a former co-op at 6855 N. Ocean Blvd. on A1A.

For anthropologist Dorothy Block, a native of Lake Worth Beach with a master’s degree in coastal archaeology, this ridge south of the Boynton Inlet is not just a scenic landscape, but a valuable cultural resource where the history of indigenous whalers rests in the sand atop the ocean ridge. She has shared her peer-reviewed scholarly paper, recently published in The Florida Anthropologist, with the elected officials of Ocean Ridge. She hopes archaeological testing will be performed before new construction starts at the co-op site.

“It’s a dangerous myth that archaeology will stop development. It doesn’t. We’re there to help expedite the process,” Block said.

Ocean Ridge — as its name implies — is indeed a ridge, a rocky outcropping. It’s not a barrier island where sands ebb and flow. The Native American Jeaga people lived and worked at their village along the ridge between A.D. 750 and 1440. The habitation refuse of their village is called a “midden.” Only recently has Block, through her research, discovered that the midden is quite large. 

“We haven’t known since the mid‑1950s where the Boynton Inlet midden is, or how big it is. Now we know.”

LEFT: A historic map had arrows added to point out the historic sites. Map provided RIGHT: Contemporary view of the locations. Coastal Star map based on a Google Map photo

Midden larger than thought

The site served as a “prime central place” for Indigenous people to mine the rich resources of both freshwater Lake Worth to the west and the Atlantic Ocean to the east.

While mid-20th century reports suggested the site had been destroyed by development, Block’s recent surveys and monitoring of recent utility pipe installations in Ocean Ridge have revealed that a significant portion of the midden remains.

“A midden isn’t just trash. It’s the output of daily life — fire pits, house floors, food remains — a village site,” said archaeologist Dr. George Luer.

Evidence suggests the Jeaga were skilled marine mammal hunters who intercepted right whales on their canoes in the winter.

“Some brave soul, a whaling chief, jumps on top of the whale, and stabs it in the head. It goes down, they harness it with rope nets, and they beach it,” Block said.

The high elevation of the ridge allowed hunters to watch for seasonal wildlife, including manatees, sharks and sea turtles. At the University of Florida, Block has examined bones from at least three individual right whales from the midden. They were unearthed during excavations at the site in Ocean Ridge in the 1950s.

Whale bones and other items recovered from the midden. Photo provided

An opportunity to explore

Now there is a unique opportunity to again explore the midden. The Ocean Ridge Town Commission recently endorsed a plan for a 15-unit condominium — the town’s first new multifamily condominium in decades — that could unearth layers of history.

“Archaeologists do what’s called a phase one survey,” Luer said. “So that you can understand the nature of the deposit, and you can maybe keep development off intact areas, or cover it with fill and not hurt it further.”

Luer — whom Block referred to as a “rock star of Florida archaeology” — highlighted the ingenuity of the Indigenous people who lived there. Lacking local sources of stone for tools, they adapted by using the thick lips of aged Queen Conch shells to create “celts” — ax-like tools.

Block found remnants of a “celt” in an easement on Hudson Avenue. The artifact likely came from another Aboriginal mound site known to exist on Hudson. 

Block said so far she has had a lukewarm reception by the Town Commission, with some members telling her that her research is incorrect and the midden does not extend to the site of the new condominium. “They didn’t read, or didn’t understand, what I wrote,” Block said.

Ocean Ridge Mayor Geoff Pugh, when asked about Block’s research, said it would be up to the developers to grant access to scientists. “It’s not up to us, that’s for sure,” he said.

Pugh, who has installed pools for 30 years, said his crews have encountered Indian artifacts and expressed appreciation for Block’s work. “It’s the neatest thing,” he said.

The four-story Dutch Colonial condominium at 6855 N. Ocean is being built by Ohio-based Edwards Companies after it purchased the co-op on the 2.1-acre site for $29 million in October 2022. 

Efforts to reach the company for comment were unsuccessful.

The Miami Circle

One of the most recent celebrated Native American sites is the Miami Circle, remnants of a Tequesta community on the mouth of the Miami River. It was uncovered during the construction of a condominium. 

For developers, the Miami Circle might as well be a four-letter word because its discovery stopped a condominium in its tracks.

In 1998, Miami-Dade County’s designated archaeologist Bob Carr was driving by a construction site on Brickell Key in Miami. Carr informed the developer that he was under an obligation to the city of Miami to perform an archaeological field survey.

The circle itself turned out to be a ceremonial site. “We believe it was a shaman’s house,” Carr said.

But there was so much more, he said.

“We found an entire urban town built in A.D. 300 that no one had ever seen or suspected existed,” Carr said. “It turned out to be one of the most significant discoveries made in the history of North America, and now it’s a national landmark.”

In other words, no condo — but the developer did sell the land for $26.7 million to the state of Florida.

Documenting the past

Carr emphasized that efforts to study these sites go far beyond “treasure hunting.” Instead, it’s about “documenting a significant archaeological site” to reveal who Florida’s earliest inhabitants were, particularly on the increasingly developed barrier islands. 

As for the Boynton Inlet midden, Carr doesn’t foresee any development being stopped. 

“These sites should be fully documented as part of the developmental process,” he said.

He said some major municipalities are designated “certified local government,” obliged by law to complete archaeological assessments. Block said Ocean Ridge has established preservation/conservation areas that include protections for archaeological resources, but they do not include the area of the midden.

The town of Jupiter moved to protect its own midden in January, agreeing to purchase 5.5 acres of waterfront property for $10.5 million from a developer because of its historical and archaeological significance, according to Stet News. The Seminole and Miccosukee tribes have said their ancestors are buried on the Suni Sands property.

A metal doorway holding a pair of silver rings stuck in a tree where contemporary Santería has been performed in Ocean Ridge Hammock Park. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

Signs of Santería and Vodou

In an hour-long interview at Hammock Park, Block took this reporter on an incredible journey through her documentation of contemporary cultural phenomena, including the practice of Afro-Caribbean syncretic religions like Santería along the shoreline.

In the dense maritime hammocks, Block has discovered evidence of “beach” rituals that transform the natural landscape into a sacred space. One notable site involved a ficus tree resembling a womanly figure, where a complex “fertility shrine” is venerated and where a bees’ hive is nestled in its base.

Out on the beach, she showed two palm saplings set up for offerings, surrounded by Cuban cigar butts. Beneath the altar lie three birds beheaded as a blood sacrifice to Yemaya, an old African ocean goddess.

“It’s woods magic. It’s nature magic. It’s an old African nature-based religion that was transported during the African diaspora, and, for example, into Cuba,” she said.

“Now you’re a black slave, you’re in Cuba, right? You have your own religion, but they’re forcing Catholicism on you. And so you synchronize those two, right? And so it’s (Santería), the survival of the African rituals.”

A Santería altar constructed of coconuts, palm fronds and driftwood was found on the beach side of the park. Photo provided

Luer said there has been a resurgence of such beliefs among Latin people and New Age believers, where botanicas sell items to be used in Santería.

Along another winding path, there is a twisting ficus. It is here that Block has found evidence of a Vodou ritual, and a possibly tragic story is within its crevices.

The artifacts included “witch” jars containing milk and honey — symbols of fertility and motherhood — and a pair of ladies’ sexy black underpants. “So that same idea of fertility, sweetness, and motherhood,” Block explains. The inclusion of a personal item suggests the feature is a Vodou spell. “I think somebody cast this spell in hopes of becoming pregnant,” she says.

Then, around the other side of the tree is a note at the base. “Rest in peace, beloved son.” 

The woods keep their secrets well. Only the spell maker will ever really know the whole story of how the Vodou spell unfolded.

The story of the Boynton Inlet midden is not just a story of the past; it is a story of the present. It is about how we value the land we inhabit.

On the morning of Jan. 25, Block said she found a binding spell at Hammock Park. “I thought it was voodoo at first,” she said. “But a quick search tells me it’s related to European witchcraft.”

Two dolls were wrapped with a particular rope, she said. “The spell was meant to control people represented by the dolls,” Block explained.

But Block said, despite the interesting nature of the magic at Hammock Park,  the real cause célèbre is for social scientists to be able to catalogue the midden. 

The excavation of the old co-op site should not be perceived as a threat, Luer reiterated.

“Most people have a misconception,” he said. “It’s a necessary step, just like engineering or architectural design — a component of development that shouldn’t be left out.” 

Save Boca starts new petition, not trusting that vote will be held

Terra and Frisbie Group’s latest renderings of the proposed buildings on the east side of Second Avenue show restaurant and other retail on ground floors, pedestrian promenade, protected bike lanes and shaded sidewalks. Rendering provided

By Mary Hladky

With the outcome never in doubt, Boca Raton City Council members approved the major components of a public-private partnership with developers Terra and Frisbie Group to transform a portion of the 31.7-acre downtown campus.

The 4-1 vote approved a master partnership agreement with Terra/Frisbie, a 99-year lease of 7.8 acres of city-owned land, and a management and construction agreement.

The deal will take effect only if city voters approve it in the March 10 election. A majority “no” vote will kill it.

Council members, under pressure from the Save Boca residents group that opposes the downtown campus project, promised residents in September they would get that vote.

But Save Boca founder Jon Pearlman doesn’t trust council members to keep that promise. He fears they will cancel the March 10 vote and vows not to let that happen.

The day after the council’s Jan. 20 vote, Save Boca members began circulating petitions calling for council members to repeal the ordinance that approves the agreements and lease.

If the council does not do so, the City Charter allows residents to vote on the matters, Pearlman contends. So a vote would be held even if the scheduled one is eliminated.

“What we are doing is to guarantee that the people will have the ability to vote and this is the only way to ensure that,” Pearlman told The Coastal Star in a text message.

But City Attorney Joshua Koehler said what Pearlman seeks would cause voter confusion, potentially create two elections that duplicate each other and turn the March 10 vote into an inconclusive result.

Volunteers for Save Boca count signatures in front of the Downtown Library recently. The group is asking residents to sign a petition to undo the City Council’s agreement with Terra and Frisbie Group, saying the city might cancel the March 10 vote. However, council members say the vote will be held and is binding, so the petition is unnecessary. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

Backlash to petition
Pearlman’s actions prompted the City Council to hold a special meeting on Jan. 27 where members passed a resolution directing the City Clerk not to accept any petitions collected by Save Boca.

In February, they are scheduled to pass a measure that affirms that voters will have the final say on the redevelopment project.

“If voters say ‘no,’ there is no deal,” Koehler said.

But Pearlman insisted at the special meeting that the council can’t be trusted. “We are up against deep pockets and very motivated politicians,” he said.

“Shame on you,” Mayor Scott Singer told Pearlman. “Please, for the love of the community… please stop the misstatements.”

Everything “is contingent on the vote of residents,” Singer said. “There are no tricks, no funny business.”

In a surprising turn of events, some Save Boca supporters criticized Pearlman’s actions.

The ordinance and related documents state they are null and void if voters don’t approve the redevelopment project. So if the ordinance is repealed, that protection disappears, they said.

Two vocal Save Boca members, Joe Majhess and Richard Warner, voiced objections to Pearlman’s stance at the special meeting.

Majhess said the ordinance includes a “binding contract” to allow residents to vote on March 10. “Stop trying to undermine it,” he said.

The notion that the city is trying to scuttle the vote, he said, “is a lie.”

“I don’t understand the need for this petition,” Warner said.

Speaking after the meeting, Majhess referred to a recent Save Boca email that said in part, “This is our recourse to guarantee we can vote on this.”

“The implication is somehow you don’t have the right to vote yet,” Majhess said. “And that is incorrect.”

The successful Save Boca fight to give residents a vote “is a huge win,” he said. But the petition now in circulation is “not taking a win.”

He and another Save Boca member, who declined to be interviewed at this time, have been blocked from posting on Save Boca’s Facebook and Instagram pages since opposing the ordinance repeal, he said.

Asked if Save Boca is fractured, Majhess said, “I don’t necessarily think it is. I think it is a superficial wound. I think the fundamental mission is still there,” which is the protection of public land and having a March 10 vote.

Pearlman acknowledged taking down social media comments. “If there are attacks on Save Boca … we usually remove that because… we want to have things that are positive to the movement there.”

But he denied any friction. “Save Boca has thousands of supporters across the whole city. Everyone is behind what we are doing. …”

The project includes five residential buildings, a hotel and an office building. The residential would include 77 workforce housing units. Rendering provided

Downtown transformation
Before these events, council members on Jan. 20 explained why they are for or against the development project.

“I am optimistic this plan meets the best vision of what we can achieve and the moment is now,” said Singer, who voted in favor of the ordinance with three council members who strongly support the project.

He cited “the way this opportunity has to transform the downtown” just as Mizner Park did 35 years ago.

Singer also cited revised calculations by the city’s consultants that the project will generate more than $4 billion in revenue for the city over the course of the 99-year land lease.

And he got in a dig at Pearlman, who is running for a council seat in March.

“There have been a lot of comments about saving Boca,” he said, “some from an individual who has yet to vote in a city election.”

Deputy Mayor Fran Nachlas, though, thanked Save Boca members. “You pushed and pushed and helped make this project a better project,” said Nachlas, who is running for mayor March 10. Singer could not run again because he was term limited.

In extensive comments, Council member Andy Thomson, who is also running to become mayor, noted that the city will have to pay upfront the $201 million cost of a new City Hall, Community Center, police substation and other improvements on the west side of the city land and will not recoup that money for many years from the revenue generated by the land lease.

A more typical public-private partnership requires the developer to pay those costs, said Thomson, who has opposed the project from the start and voted against the ordinance.
This creates too much risk for the city, he said. “I don’t believe this plan constitutes a responsible use of the city’s resources.”

Are the changes enough?
He also criticized the project’s density, which has changed little even though Terra/Frisbie has scaled the project back several times in response to Save Boca opposition.

Now, it will be 1.2 million square feet of development squeezed on to 7.8 acres, down from 1.5 million distributed throughout the downtown campus, he said.

The project originally was to encompass the entire downtown campus. But after Save Boca opposed that, Terra/Frisbie agreed to leave nearly 17.3 acres west of Northwest Second Avenue largely as recreation and park space, although it would also include a new City Hall, Community Center and police substation.

Much remains to be decided about what happens with that land. If the city agrees, Terra/Frisbie is willing to go ahead with its plans that include creating a memorial for military service members.

But there is also strong support for the city’s taking the reins on the west side land. If that happens, the Terra/Frisbie plans for that side could be scrapped with the city taking over the design and likely building less expensive buildings.

The 7.8 acres the developers would lease are on the east side of Second Avenue, also called Boca Raton Boulevard. Another 6.7 acres on the east side would remain in city control.

Terra/Frisbie would build seven buildings — five residential (including one condo), a hotel and an office building. The residential would include 77 workforce housing units for those who earn no more than 120% of the county’s average median income.

The city would build a $30 million garage with about 600 parking spaces.

No plans have been announced for privately owned parcels that flank those buildings.

One Boca
Terra/Frisbie has branded itself as One Boca for its role in the project. Over the past two months, it has become much more active in communicating directly with residents and promoting the benefits of the public-private partnership with the city.

In January, One Boca released new conceptual renderings of its proposed buildings on the east side of Second Avenue which will include restaurant and other retail on the ground floors along with a pedestrian promenade, protected bike lanes and shaded sidewalks.

The renderings proposed contemporary architectural styles for its buildings in response to some residents who wanted them based on those created by celebrated architect Addison Mizner. They are “modern Mizner,” “modern Mediterranean” and “modern mid-century modern.”

Ocean Ridge prepares for own blast of sand

Jim and Ann Frank, visiting from Houston, look on as dredging begins Jan. 29 on the north end of Delray Beach. The $19.2 million beach renourishment project will restore 2.65 miles of coastline. Photos by Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

By John Pacenti

“Delray Dave” has seen plenty of beach restorations during his 40 years of watching the sand ebb and flow while visiting the city's beach volleyball courts.

Dave Posta, a local volleyball legend, spoke on Jan. 26 within feet of heavy equipment prepared to pump sand back onto Delray Beach for $19.2 million. 

Just to the north, Ocean Ridge was also gearing up for its $9.4 million beach restoration project with a contract awarded and surveying commenced.

The long-term fate of the beach is ultimately “up to God and Mother Nature,”  said Posta, a former pro volleyball player who is now a coach. “It could go away right away.”

Posta recalled past projects where the sand washed away in as little as a month and others that held for a couple of years. He noted one dredging about a decade ago that vanished after a single storm, and earlier major projects in the 1990s and 2000s that transformed the beach enough to support dozens of volleyball courts and pro tournaments.

People who haven’t experienced a beach renourishment need to know it’s a massive project, he said.

“The pipes run all the way up and down the whole beach,” he said. “They literally have to build these little ladders for people to get over them.”

In the meantime, just off Casuarina Road, the large pipes, a bulldozer and generators were sitting in wait until they were moved north up the coast about a half-mile. There they were hooked up to a “subline” already in the water that will go out to a barge taking sand from a borrow pit, said a Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Company worker keeping sentinel. 

Though he wouldn’t give his name, the worker said that he had to make sure kids don’t climb on the pipes or homeless people don’t find shelter in them. The worker, though, was living it up with an umbrella and chair in the sun, knowing the hard work was just a few days away.

“This is unbelievable,” he said. “Our last job was in New Jersey and when we left it was 12 degrees with the wind. We get down here, it’s 65 degrees.”

The crew typically works seven days a week, 12 hours a day, he said.

The barge temporarily returned to port in West Palm Beach at the beginning of February due to rough seas from high winds brought by the recent cold front, but it was expected to return after a few days.

Gavin Koerth, a survey rodman working with Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Company, assists a survey at the north end of Delray Beach prior to the project. 

Here comes the sand

There will be 1.3 million cubic yards of sand poured on the beach. To put that in perspective, that is enough sand to cover 200 football fields a yard deep, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has said.

The beach is expected to be widened by about 250 feet with the coverage area stretching from the city's border with Gulf Stream to south of Atlantic Dunes Park. The completion deadline is April 30.

“We’re making every effort to get it completed before the onset of turtle nesting season,” said Delray Beach Public Works Director Missie Barletto.

The federal government pitched in $13 million of the $19.2 million through the Fiscal 2025 Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act. The city has allocated $5.4 million for the project.

The critical erosion to Delray Beach occurred during the 2022 hurricane season with storms Nicole and Ian. Though only a Category 1 storm that made landfall near Vero Beach, Nicole’s massive size and long duration created a relentless storm surge and pounding waves that battered Florida’s east coast. Ian created a compounding effect.

Some areas on the beach, such as near the pavilion, have eroded to only a few feet.

Barletto reassured residents and visitors that the beach will remain open during the restoration, though portions will be temporarily closed for active work. She urged beachgoers to use alternative access points around active work areas.

Ocean Ridge preparations

To the north in Ocean Ridge, information was scarce. Town Manager Michelle Heiser said she only knew that surveying was being done in January.

According to the Dredging Today news outlet, Weeks Marine from Covington, Louisiana, has won a $9.4 million firm-fixed-price contract for the U.S. Army Corps project. Roughly, 500,000 cubic yards of sand will be placed on the beach just south of the Boynton Inlet to about Thompson Street.

Like the Delray Beach project, Ocean Ridge aims to be done with its restoration by May so as not to affect the peak of turtle season.

Get your shells here

Barletto noted a local perk that has accompanied past dredging work: crews often filter shells and lay out piles for the public to search.

“In the past, they’ve kind of laid those out in an area for shell hunters to go through and see what they can find,” she said, adding that the city asked Great Lakes if it would repeat that public service for this project.

Back with Delray Dave, he said the restoration project will affect the posts that hold up the volleyball nets.

“See what we’re going to run into now, they’re gonna build the sand up 3, 4 feet. We don’t have 3, 4 feet more on our pole. So we’re gonna have to pull the poles out, but we are aware of that,” he said. 

Turtle time is coming, so let’s talk elections.

March marks the start of the annual sea turtle season, when beach lighting dims and stakes marking buried turtle nests begin sprouting along the shoreline.

It’s also municipal election season, when local voters head to the polls — if they haven’t already cast their ballots through the mail — to choose their town and city leaders.

However, unlike sea turtle nestings, which come year after year no matter the weather or the danger from predators, local elections are often canceled due to lack of competition. 

So, yes, there will be elections along Palm Beach County’s southern coast this year, with 12 candidates and two major referendums on the March 10 ballot in Boca Raton, seven candidates in South Palm Beach, six in Gulf Stream, and a pivotal three-way race to be decided in Delray Beach.

But that’s not the case in other coastal towns — such as Manalapan, Lantana, Ocean Ridge and Highland Beach — where there won’t be an election because incumbents have already retained their seats without opposition. And it’s not like Gulf Stream has an abundance of candidates, as its six candidates — five incumbents and one newcomer — are vying for five open seats, which sounds more like a single round of musical chairs.

Nor will there be an election in Briny Breezes, even though only one of its three open seats has been filled. No one is running for mayor or a second open council seat — even the incumbents didn't file. It’ll be up to the reconstituted Town Council to find and appoint willing residents to fill those vacancies after March 10.

There are two competing possibilities for the lack of competition many of our communities experience. The negative one: apathy. The positive: a general feeling among residents that their town is being run well.

In Gulf Stream, where the route to a seat on the Town Commission typically involves a promotion from the town’s Architectural Review and Planning Board, having any election at all is newsworthy. The upcoming election will be only the town’s fifth in the last 50 years. 

Gulf Stream’s last two contested elections were in 2017 and 2014. Before that, you have to go back to 1993 and then to 1978.

Sometimes, people just need a reason to run. In Boca Raton, the reason this year appears to be about how — or if — the city’s downtown campus will be developed, while in South Palm Beach opposition has mounted over plans to build a new Town Hall.

Still, even in Delray Beach, which is in ongoing political upheaval, no one came forward to challenge incumbent Commissioner Angela Burns. The three candidates there are seeking to replace former Vice Mayor Rob Long, who was sworn in as a state representative in December. That race could be critical given that the City Commission is currently split 2-2 on many key issues. 

If you’re looking for The Coastal Star’s endorsements in the local races, you won’t find any because we don’t make any. In this edition, we’ve put together election stories and candidate profiles to help inform you about the various choices. After that, it’s up to you. 

I think it’s time for you to be like one of those determined sea turtles and show up (if there’s an election where you live), either on election day at the polls, or through mailing in your ballot in time for your vote to be counted. 

And start thinking ahead to when sea turtle season ends on Oct. 31, because soon after that, candidate qualifying for the 2027 municipal elections will be held. Could that be your time to run?

— Larry Barszewski, Editor

A man rides his e-bike on a State Road A1A sidewalk in Delray Beach. A proposed state law would limit speeds on sidewalks if pedestrians are nearby. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

By Rich Pollack

Florida’s laws governing new methods of transportation have been moving slower than a 3-year-old on a tricycle as the number of electric bikes on roads, bicycle paths and sidewalks throughout South Florida and elsewhere in the state continues to explode.

“The technology has gotten ahead of us,” said state Rep. Peggy Gossett-Seidman (R- Highland Beach), pointing out that there are now several types of e-bikes, electric scooters and e-skateboards. “It used to be just cars, trucks and motorcycles.”

With the Florida Legislature now in session, lawmakers are hoping to finally address e-bikes on a statewide basis, with a bill that Gossett-Seidman co-sponsored wheeling its way through the legislative process.

The current version requires the creation of a state task force to study the issues surrounding e-bikes and make recommendations. The bill, which is still a work in progress, also requires the state to improve the processes used to collect data regarding e-bike crashes.

Another provision in the bill — and one that will have the most impact on pedestrians and bicyclists in the area — requires the rider of an e-bike to slow to 10 miles per hour when within 50 feet of a pedestrian on a sidewalk or pedestrian path.

“It’s about time,” said Emily Gentile, president of the Beach Condo Association of Boca Raton, Highland Beach and Delray Beach. “It will help the pedestrians quite a bit.”

Gentile said that quick-moving e-bikes make it difficult for some pedestrians, especially older walkers, to step aside.

“People are complaining that they’re riding on the sidewalks and scaring the heck out of them,” she said.

Gentile said that while the proposed legislation is welcome, she believes the key to its effectiveness will be enforcement.

She’s not alone.

“It’s a wonderful start, but how are they going to enforce it?” asked Rich Garrett, president of the Florida Bicycle Association, who would like to see the legislation go even further.

He would like to see a 10-mph speed limit on e-bikes on sidewalks all the time.

Garrett believes that the number of crashes involving e-bikes has been significantly under-reported, an issue that the proposed legislation addresses to some degree.

The legislation would require law enforcement agencies to report the date and time of the crash, the class of e-bike involved — there are three classes based on maximum speed and whether it has a throttle — the age of the rider and whether that rider has a license or permit.

An earlier version of the bill would have required e-bikes capable of going faster than 29 mph to be classified as e-motorcycles and require operators to have a license or permit.

That provision was withdrawn in committee, Gossett-Seidman said, because lawmakers wanted more data.

“We don’t want to pass a law that’s not fully researched and doesn’t take into account all the different counties,” she said. “Some areas like Boca have many electric bikes and others have hardly any.”

The task force that would be created should help provide the data lawmakers need, she said.

While Garrett supports the legislation in its proposed form, he is a strong advocate for education and would like to see all e-bikers required to take an education class.

“They should all have to know the rules of the road,” he said.
In addition, he believes the weight of an e-bike should be a consideration in legislation.

Garrett said he would like to see the Florida Bicycle Association have a seat on the task force that would be created under the proposed legislation.

Safety is a key concern for Garrett and for Gossett-Seidman, who says that legislators have to find a balance between that and the transportation needs of e-bike riders.

“One of our goals is getting them where they need to go in a safe fashion,” she said.

While the Florida House bill and a similar bill in the Florida Senate would apply statewide, local municipalities are able to pass ordinances and rules governing e-bicycles.

Boynton Beach, for example, is considering an ordinance that would prohibit electric vehicles from being used on any public sidewalk.

In Boca Raton e-bike users are required to follow the rules of the road and keep right, when possible.

Gossett-Seidman says she is sure that some statewide regulation on e-bikes will come out of the legislative session.

“We’re going to apply the most common sense possible and make the most people safe and happy,” she said.

Annabel and Phoebe Condon are raising money for Nicklaus Children’s Hospital via the Feb. 20 Dance Marathon at Saint Andrew’s School, where they are students. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

By Brian Biggane

A movement that began as a tribute to a friend at Indiana University 35 years ago has found its way to Saint Andrew’s School in Boca Raton, and a pair of teenage sisters from Gulf Stream have learned some important life lessons as a result.

Phoebe Condon, a senior at Saint Andrew’s, and her sister Annabel, a freshman, are among the dozens of students at the school raising money in a program called Dance Marathon. The sisters previously attended Gulf Stream School.

Dance Marathon is designed to help the Children’s Miracle Network in general and Nicklaus Children’s Hospital in Miami in particular.

“As an adviser, it is a pleasure to witness the development of student leaders, and Phoebe is an exceptional example,” said Victoria Zingarelli, a history teacher who oversees the club. “She has set a wonderful example not only for her younger sister but for many underclassmen in our program.”

Dance Marathon began at Indiana University in 1991 as a memorial. Students committed to dancing 24 hours or more as a means of raising money and collected $10,900 that first year. It has continued to this day and last November raised $3.4 million, with total contributions now approaching $60 million.

Zingarelli was a student at the University of Florida in 1995 when students introduced the program there. And she was teaching at Saint Andrew’s in 2017 when she overheard students discussing the possibility of  bringing it there. She volunteered to help and soon Dance Marathon had a new home.

Phoebe Condon joined the group her freshman year in 2022, but said her interest and involvement increased significantly after she and her classmates made a trip to the Nicklaus hospital two years later and got a firsthand look at what their fundraising was helping to accomplish.

“That lets you know what you’re doing and who you’re supporting,” she said. “It was very emotional.”

One stop was a wing where children were undergoing open-heart surgery. The students looked through a window and saw one baby whose chest hadn’t been closed as doctors waited to determine if more had to be done.

“It was probably the saddest thing I’ve ever seen,” Phoebe said.

“Then I went again this year and saw a lot more people my age. I just love children so much and seeing that in person was very eye-opening. That’s the best thing about Dance Marathon: They make sure everyone knows what it is they’re donating to. And I like to spread that to other people.”
One of the people she’s motivated to get involved is Annabel, who also took part in the hospital visit in December.

“Meeting the children and hearing their stories has really pushed me to go above and beyond,” Annabel said.

Phoebe said she typically raised from $500 to $700 by herself in past years, so she felt ambitious in setting a goal of $1,000 this year.

“Then one really generous donor, a good family friend, donated $1,000 and I was able to raise another $2,000 from other people. Hitting that milestone was really shocking to me because I realized I spread a lot of awareness, and I believe people donated more because they really knew about the cause.”

Zingarelli said the $14,000 students raised the first year of the program has climbed to more than $30,000 the past couple of years, for a total of $200,000. The goal this year is $40,000 and the drive culminates Feb. 20 with its main event.

The Saint Andrew’s event is a scaled-down version of the one in Indiana, lasting only four hours with four musical genres.

“I’ll dance a lot but some of the time I’ll just stand around,” Phoebe said.

Phoebe has taken on greater responsibility during her time in the program — as a junior becoming lower and middle school captain to spread the word to younger children and this year moving up to vice president. “And now Annabel has become one of the captains as well,” Zingarelli said.

Now going through the process of deciding on a college — Wake Forest, which older sister Lily attends, is one option — Phoebe plans to work toward a degree as a therapist, and this experience has underscored that goal.

“It’s definitely made me want to work in the medical field, but more with post-traumatic events, like cancer. I want to work directly with children, so this club has definitely furthered my passion for psychology.” 

To make a tax-deductible donation to the cause, visit  events.dancemarathon.com/teams/75330.

I am writing you in reference to John Pacenti’s January 2026 article: “Mayor’s concerns cause ‘chaos,’ spur audit of downtown agency.”

In the article, Pacenti notes that I offer advice to Mayor Tom Carney on occasion. Very true. Also true is that on a regular, often daily basis, Delray residents reach out to the mayor via phone, text or email with viewpoints, advice and criticism. And he in turn solicits their input. A healthy dialogue.

The mayor is always appreciative of residents’ input, mine included.

Tom Carney and I have known each other for over 30 years, and he is mindful that I served on the Delray Beach commission for three years, and 18 years as a Palm Beach County commissioner representing Delray Beach. Many issues facing the city today are similar to those I experienced during my time in public office. I am proud that I served my community as an elected official, and frankly, that I was reelected by the people of Palm Beach County at every election, 13 times in a row.

Pacenti was careful to note that, yes, I was convicted and went to prison. Where his reporting falls short, whether intentional or due to a lack of research, was that he failed to inform his readers that in June of 2010 the United States Supreme Court ruled unanimously that the statute governing my conviction was ruled unconstitutional. It was because of that unanimous ruling that I was given an unconditional presidential pardon. 

Readers deserve to know the whole story.

— Mary McCarty Delray Beach

By Patrick Sherry

Demolition of the Miller Land Planning building on Boynton Beach Boulevard next to Ace Hardware began in January, the first visible sign of progress for a stalled redevelopment project in downtown Boynton Beach approved nearly three years ago.

The building was the first to go in preparation for The Pierce, 115 N. Federal Highway. The Pierce, a complex of apartments, restaurants, retail stores, a parking garage and green space, is expected to take up most of the properties on the west side of Federal Highway between Ocean Avenue and Boynton Beach Boulevard, extending to the Florida East Coast Railway tracks. Ace Hardware is not part of the project site.

Affiliated Development originally estimated this as a $73 million project, but has since said it will likely cost at least $100 million. The 2.3-acre complex will have buildings up to eight stories tall and offer 150 units each of workforce apartments and market-rate luxury rentals. The developers will also construct a new home on the site for the Hurricane Alley Raw Bar and Restaurant.

City commissioners, meeting as the city’s Community Redevelopment Agency governing board, received an update on the work at their Jan. 8 meeting. 

Developers have replaced underground sewer lines at the site. The work, which started in October, needed to be finished before any construction could be done.

The project has faced a number of roadblocks. After it received commission approval in March 2023, some nearby property owners filed a lawsuit challenging the city’s decision to relinquish control of some of the public rights-of-way on the project site. It put the developers’ plans on hold until the following year, when a judge allowed the project to move forward. 

They once again faced problems when it was discovered that some of the original property owners still owned lots on the site. After resolving this issue, they attempted to continue site preparation, but during the permitting process, they determined they needed to move underground sewer lines.

No construction date is currently set. 

Town Hall design delivered — Maria Zappas-Porter, a frontline designer for CPZ Architects, told South Palm Beach Town Council members at their Jan. 20 meeting that the 146-page set of site plans for the new Town Hall was delivered on Jan. 16 and is awaiting final approval.

Zappas-Porter gave an extensive audiovisual presentation of the plans, with the first floor consisting of a garage for underground parking as well as a possible cafe area and a maintenance room. The second floor has offices for the council and Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, two community rooms with partition panels and space for town staff.

Vice Mayor Monte Berendes said after the meeting that the expandable community rooms will be welcome as exercise classes have been drawing overflow crowds during the season.

Planning council offers assistance — Kim DeLaney of the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council made a lengthy presentation laying out how the planning council can help local communities. She offered its assistance as the town continues to address issues concerning its State Road A1A sidewalk and the absence of an A1A crosswalk within the town’s borders.

Council member Ray McMillan pointed out that towns both north and south of the South Palm Beach are in the process of getting new sidewalks and asked when South Palm Beach can have the same. The Florida Department of Transportation, which handles work on and along A1A, was invited to the meeting but did not send a representative.

DeLaney said her conversations with Town Manager Jamie Titcomb are just beginning and encouraged the council to put together a plan to address concerns by its February meeting. DeLaney is also scheduled to return as part of an ongoing lecture series in March.

Lift station expenditure approved — The council approved authorizing $29,000 be paid to Hinterland Group for repairs to the town’s lift station. A representative from Mock Roos & Associates, which has been contracted to build a new lift station, gave an update. The council also approved a motion to pursue a federal grant to cover most or all of the $3 million to $4 million the project is expected to cost.

The lift station receives sewage from the town’s condos and sends it to the Lake Worth Beach treatment plant. The station is between the Brittany and Concordia West condominiums.

— Brian Biggane