HomeSafe’s annual golf tournament raised more than $75,000, with all proceeds going toward protecting and empowering children and families who have endured trauma, and to help prevent child abuse and domestic violence. The organization is a leading provider of prevention and intervention services, serving more than 15,000 infants, children, young adults and families each year. HomeSafe is one of just five specialized therapeutic group care agencies in the state — and the only one in Southeast Florida. Winning the women’s flight was the team of Patty Larkin, Genevieve Murphy, Lori Smith and Lisa Ruth. The men's winning foursome was Logan Shalmi, Andrew Lerner, Marc Elkman and Danny Valencia. The winning team in the mixed foursome flight was Andrew Waldman, Ana Waldman, Kristen Bissett and Aric Waldman. ABOVE: (l-r) Golf ambassadors Phil Procacci, Jim MacCutcheon, Shalmi, Larkin, Pete Austin and Brooke Qualk. BELOW: Terri and Ben Kennedy. Photos provided by Tracey Benson Photography

The Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts welcomed members of its Dress Circle, Marquee Circle and Helen K. Persson Society for an evening of appreciation featuring Broadway performers, rising student artists and top supporters to highlight the impact of arts education in the community. ’Having so many of our devoted donors gathered here is a tremendous honor, and we are deeply grateful for the opportunity to personally express our appreciation to our members of the Dress Circle, Marquee Circle and Persson Society,’ said Kravis Center CEO Diane Quinn. The evening previewed the 2026-27 season and highlighted how donor support directly fuels world-class programming and education initiatives that reach thousands of local students each year. ABOVE: Irwin Kudman and Melanie Cabot. Photo provided by Capehart

The fifth annual fundraiser for the Delray Beach Historical Society featured cocktails, live art by Carol Calicchio, and a silent auction. Guests traversed the gardens and enjoyed food and music inside the three historic cottages, where exhibits offered glimpses into the early settlement now known as the Village by the Sea. ABOVE: (l-r) Hop and Ingrid Kennemer and Susan and Chris Edwards. BELOW: (l-r) Anne Whitehead, Carl Schramm and Charlotte Stetson. Photos provided by Matt Sturgess, 4th Avenue Photography

Boca Helping Hands has been selected as a recipient of an inaugural grant from the Boca Raton Foundation for Charitable Giving, the philanthropic arm of The Boca Raton. The iconic private club and resort has played a defining role in the community for a century, and continues to expand on that position with this award. The grant money comes from a portion of paid room night revenue. Boca Helping Hands was among 15 South Florida nonprofits recognized in the foundation’s first grant cycle, which distributed more than $150,000 to organizations working in food security, education and the well-being of women and children across Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties. ABOVE: (l-r) Steve King, Kori Ernst and Daniel Hostettler, president and CEO of The Boca Raton. Photo provided

Palm Beach Symphony’s seventh annual invitational raised nearly $100,000 to support music education and outreach programs. ’It was an honor to chair this year’s event,’ said Thomas D’Agostino Jr. ’Every golf swing provides a symphony of hope to create opportunities for children in our community.’ ABOVE: (l-r) Neil Kaufman, Michael Rudnick, Bill Boylan and Gary Levine. BELOW: (l-r) Joan Simpson, Patricia Pape, Sarmite Bulte and Janet Gusman. Photos provided by IndieHouse Films

Celebrating Florida Atlantic University’s 65th year, more than 1,000 friends of the university joined President Adam Hasner and first lady Jillian Hasner for Soirée 65 in support of student-success initiatives. The gala raised more than $2.5 million for government and nonprofit internships that are currently unpaid and otherwise wouldn’t exist, as well as housing scholarships. Soirée 65 was presented by Cathy and Abdol Moabery, and the gala co-chairs were Stacey Packer and Carrie Rubin. ABOVE: (l-r) Packer, Jillian Hasner and Rubin. Photos provided by FAU

L-R: Sharon Kusuke, Dick Schmidt and Christine E. Lynn.

L-R: Holli Rockwell Trubinsky and Joe Trubinsky.

The Rotary Club of Delray Beach hosted its second annual Kentucky Derby-style celebration that included a live viewing of the race, signature cocktails and a curated menu of Derby-inspired cuisine. The event raised more than $15,000 to fund 10 scholarships and provide essential items for nearly 100 children experiencing homelessness in the Delray Beach community. ’We are incredibly grateful for the overwhelming support from our community,’ said club President Rita Rana. ’This event is not only a fun celebration of tradition and style but a testament to what we can accomplish together when we invest in the future of our children.’ ABOVE: (l-r) Suzanne and Jeff Soderberg, David Cooke, Sydney Cooke and Olivia Cooke. Photo provided

Boca Raton’s most anticipated culinary tradition has proved again why it remains a highlight of the social season. The 23rd annual Boca Bacchanal brought together world-class vintners, chefs and passionate patrons for a weekend of food, fine wine and community spirit — all to support the Boca Raton Historical Society and The Schmidt Boca Raton History Museum. ABOVE: (l-r) Russell and LeAnn Berman and Nicola and Stephen Verses. BELOW: (l-r) Al and Joni Goldberg and Joyce and Thom DeVita. Photos provided

’The Soul & Sound of Motown’ brought guests from across South Florida together to benefit the organization’s lifesaving mission and celebrate 30 years of rescuing abandoned and neglected dogs and cats. The organization is approaching the milestone of more than 100,000 animals rescued since its founding. ’This evening was such a joyful celebration of music, community and compassion,’ said Suzi Goldsmith, founder of Tri-County Animal Rescue. ’Seeing everyone come together to support animals in need while enjoying a fun and memorable night made it incredibly special.’ ABOVE: (l-r) Debbie Lindstrom, Nancy Pontius, Rob Zaleski and Margie Janiszewski. BELOW: Arthur Gutterman and Nijirah Alexander. Photos provided

Joda Cook, a vibrational sound therapist, and Tecia Linville, a musician and yoga teacher, utilize a didgeridoo, gongs and other instruments to offer a sound bath meditative experience. Photos provided

By Jan Engoren

The Boca Raton Museum of Art is hardly the first thing that comes to mind if you’re contemplating a bath.

We went for a bath there recently and found no luxurious tub laden with bubbles, no rubber duckies and no woman imploring “Calgon, take me away.” Also: Everybody had clothes on — comfortable clothes.

That’s because it wasn’t that kind of soak.

This was a different kind of bath — a sound bath.

Apropos to the location, there was art — a large glass chandelier, Big Brother, by Chinese dissident artist Song Dong — hanging in the corner of the museum’s bright and airy education room.

The primal, hypnotic sound of the didgeridoo floated through the air, led by musician and yoga teacher Tecia Linville (aka Sri Prabhavati Devi) and vibrational sound therapist Joda Cook. 

“We’re here to help you relax,” Linville told the group of 20 people stretched out on yoga mats or seated in chairs around the room. “We will share our hearts with you and help you keep your heart open. Life is better when we smile.”

A practitioner of Sivananda yoga, Linville sees her life’s mission as helping others reconnect with their own strength and rediscover the peace that lives within them. She has done this work in addiction recovery centers and mental health facilities and now at Boca Raton’s art museum.

A sound bath (or sound healing) is a meditative experience where participants are immersed in layers of different sounds, often done after a yoga class or on its own.

The practice has become popular in recent years as a way to help folks decompress, relieve stress and enter a meditative space.

Many of the instruments used in sound baths have old cultural roots and healing traditions and are meant to connect with the spirit world.

Using instruments tuned to 432 Hz — including Tibetan and crystal singing bowls, Native American drums and wooden flutes, gongs, crystal harps and pyramids, and a rare Indian metallophone that produces a pure svaram tone — Linville says the vibrations and frequencies help release tension, slow the nervous system, and guide the body into deeper relaxation and a heightened consciousness.

Cook says the low, resonant hum of the didgeridoo, an indigenous Australian instrument, creates vibrations that can be felt in the chest and can open the heart chakra.

Linville, who has been doing this for more than 25 years, met Cook at Hippocrates Wellness in West Palm Beach, where Cook was working as a sound therapist. The two have been working together for 15 years.   

Cook first encountered the didgeridoo at a Renaissance festival in Miami and took to the instrument immediately.

And, while definitive research into sound therapy is still developing, several studies point to its therapeutic potential. Washington University mindfulness researcher Diana Parra Perez notes that sound is perceived not only through the ears but also through body vibrations, which can deepen relaxation. 

Psychology Today’s research indicates that tension is significantly reduced following a sound bath, and negative mood states (such as depression and anger) can be substantially reduced.

Laura London, a Delray Beach personal trainer, uses singing bowls in her practice.

Another local sound healer is Laura London, a Delray Beach personal trainer. She uses singing (crystal) bowls in her sound baths and performs at various locations in South Florida. London describes sound baths as “a form of meditation — a way to train our brains to relax and enter a restorative state.” 

Practicing in a group, she says, creates “a beautiful sense of connectedness.” As the body relaxes, she adds, breathing slows, the heart rate drops and cortisol levels decrease.

Back at the museum, Linville begins the meditation with tinkling bells and sounds of the ocean, which soon segue into the bassoon-like sounds of the didgeridoo, handmade and carved by Cook. 

Hearing the instrument evoke sounds of wildlife, one can imagine the jungle with herds of elephants and other wildlife roaming around.

Boca Raton resident Beth Weiss, an avid tennis player, was at the session with her friend Peg Castronovo, a retired nurse originally from Buffalo, New York. While neither one of them had ever practiced yoga, they were intrigued by the description of the sound bath and decided to try it.

“My older sister is obsessed with sound baths,” says Weiss. “She encouraged me to come and try it.”

Although her mind wandered and various thoughts poked through, she says the sound of the didgeridoo resonated in her heart.

“This is a new experience for me,” she says. “I’d love to try it again — maybe the next time on a beach.”

For Weiss and Castronovo, the experience was less about understanding the mechanics and the meaning and more about being open to new experiences.

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

If You Go

What: Sound Healing at the Boca Raton Museum of Art

When: 3-4 p.m. June 13 

Cost: Members $20; non-members $40; register at bocamuseum.org/visit/events/sound-healing. 

Also: Reach Laura London at lauralondonwellness@gmail.com.

In celebration of National Nurses Week, May 6-12, Boca Raton Regional Hospital hosted a day of appreciation and wellness for its nurses. They were gifted complimentary makeovers, hair styling, nail and eyebrow services, massages, facials and meditation on behalf of the Boca Raton Regional Hospital Foundation and Bloomingdale’s. 

***

Heather Havericak and Dr. Jacqueline Tutiven at the Go Red for Women event on cardiovascular health. Photo provided 

Event promotes women’s heart health

The American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women event was held in April in Palm Beach Gardens with more than 300 people attending. Go Red for Women aims to raise awareness and funds for women’s cardiovascular health. 

“Cardiovascular disease is still the No. 1 killer of women, and events like this one are essential to raising awareness and providing education so women understand their risks — and how to reduce them,” said Heather Havericak, Palm Beach Go Red for Women chair and chief executive officer of Delray Medical Center. 

Dr. Jacqueline Tutiven, medical director of Palm Beach Health Network Anesthesiology for Delray Medical Center and West Boca Medical Center, was named Woman of Impact. Valentina Mugica was named Teen of Impact. They were honored for their roles in fundraising, advocacy and championing heart health.

Two new systems for heart treatment

 Delray Medical Center now uses the new Abbott’s Volt Pulsed Field Ablation System to treat A-fib, with electrophysiologist Dr. Yoel Vivas performing the first procedure. Pulsed field ablation is different from thermal ablation, which has been the A-fib standard for decades. Pulsed field ablation disables the cardiac tissue causing A-fib, using high-energy electrical pulses rather than extreme temperatures. 

Delray Medical Center is also now using the Evoque Tricuspid Valve Replacement System, offering a treatment option for patients with severe tricuspid regurgitation. A historically underdiagnosed and undertreated condition, tricuspid regurgitation can lead to symptoms including fatigue, swelling and heart failure. 

Company on fast track to treat Alzheimer’s

 The Boca Raton biotechnology company INmune Bio received a Fast Track designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for XPro, a therapeutic agent to treat Alzheimer’s in patients with biomarkers of neuroinflammation. 

“We believe XPro has the potential to significantly alter the trajectory of this devastating disease, and we look forward to working more closely with the FDA to bring this therapy to patients as efficiently as possible,” INmune Bio CEO David Moss said. 

INmune Bio completed a phase 2 clinical trial for XPro that showed the treatment had cognitive, behavioral and biological benefits for patients with inflammation. An integrated Phase 2b/3 trial will follow. Inflammation in the brain is a major cause of the development and progression of Alzheimer’s, and there are no FDA-approved drugs to treat it. 

By blocking a specific protein in the body that causes inflammation, XPro aims to reduce brain swelling and protect the brain from further damage.                                            

— Christine Davis

Meat Market’s 32-ounce tomahawk rib eye Australian wagyu offers a mouth-watering option for dear old dad on Father’s Day. Photo provided

By Jan Norris

Taking dad out for a steak this year? Prepare for sticker shock if you haven’t sprung for a beef dinner in a while. Prices are up — way up —ahead of Father’s Day on June 21.

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association reports consumer demand for beef is at a 40-year high, and the nation’s appetite has greatly outpaced supply. That has pushed prices up 16% from last year.

Chef Mark Militello, a former restaurant owner and now consultant, says the steak dinner that once carried a restaurant’s menu is now practically a loss leader because of its food cost.

The days of a $50 steak dinner in a restaurant are long gone, unless you dine at a national chain that follows a sales model of high volume over top quality.

Diners today can expect an average of around $55 for a small filet, $60 for a 12-ounce rib eye, and $150 for the caveman-like tomahawk rib eye.

But there’s a wide variance. 

Dinners at traditional steakhouses typically come with luxury ambiance, high-end wine lists, pro servers and a dress code. They cater to customers who want top cuts of USDA prime and imported wagyu meats.

The chains and indie restaurants are more casual, offer sides as part of the price with the USDA choice or lower-end prime steaks, and have limited wine lists.

At Longhorn Steakhouse in Delray Beach, part of the national chain, you can get Flo’s Filet — a 6-ounce filet mignon — for $27.79, served with a baked potato and house salad. 

Or you can pay $570 at Michael Mina’s Bourbon Steak in Delray Beach for three, 4-ounce portions of the exclusive A5 wagyu, including the snow beef.

Even within the top tier of Japanese wagyu, the snow beef is considered super premium by connoisseurs for its intense marbling. This gives the beef unctuous flavor and texture. The cachet comes from rare cattle raised on a specific ranch in Hokkaido, Japan, and Bourbon Steak is one of only 15 restaurants in the country that sell it.

We surveyed steakhouses and a few indie restaurants from Boca Raton to Boynton Beach where steak is on the menu to get a range of prices.

Note that on Father’s Day, some restaurants may offer specials that aren’t on the regular menus.

Meat Market, 2000 NW 19th St., Boca Raton. Meatmarket.net

High-energy modern steakhouse. A 12-ounce filet mignon is $72; the Linz prime reserve 14-ounce rib eye is $70; the 32-ounce tomahawk rib eye Australian wagyu is $175. Also featured is a 16-ounce kosher rib eye for $145. Steaks are a la carte.

Abe & Louie’s, 2200 Glades Road, Boca Raton. Abeandlouies.com

The traditional steakhouse with a Boston heritage offers prime meats. An 8-ounce filet mignon is $74.89, a 16-ounce boneless rib eye is $85.89, an 18-ounce bone-in New York strip is $79.29. A fan favorite side is the creamed corn.

New York Prime, 2350 NW Executive Center Drive, Boca Raton. NewYorkPrime.com

Steaks at this traditional, lively meat palace are prime, aged 28 days, and come with a charred, Pittsburgh-style crust. A 16-ounce NY strip is $75; the 22-ounce bone-in rib eye is $89, an 8-ounce filet is $61. The wagyu Manhattan, a thicker, 10-ounce version of a strip steak, is $78. The tomahawk rib eye is $150. Diners love the bread and onion rings here, too.

DeLuca’s Chophouse, 499 S. Federal Highway, Boca Raton. Delucaschophouse.com

Modern Italian upscale steakhouse. The 12-ounce filet mignon is $74; the 16-ounce boneless wagyu rib eye is $95; a 14-ounce NY strip is $66. The 40-ounce tomahawk for two is $125. Lively vibe with nightly entertainment.

Gallagher’s Steakhouse, 2006 NW Executive Center Circle, Boca Raton. Gallaghersnysteakhouse.com

This import is a vibrant New York-style steakhouse. The 8-ounce filet mignon is $58; the USDA prime bone-in NY sirloin is $60, sliced. The porterhouse steak is $69 per person — served for two, three or four people. Steaks come with a blue cheese or bone-marrow crust for $4 more. A baked potato is $10, served a la carte.

Capital Grille, 6000 Glades Road, Boca Raton. Thecapitalgrille.com

A larger, upscale chain from Providence, Rhode Island, that features dry-aged steaks in a lively, modern setting. A 10-ounce filet mignon is $63, the dry-aged 14-ounce NY strip is $63, and the bone-in rib eye, 22 ounces, is $79. 

Morton’s Steakhouse, 5050 Town Center Circle, Boca Raton. Mortons.com

Traditional chain steakhouse with classic ambiance. The 8-ounce filet mignon is $62. A 16-ounce NY strip is $70, while a 36-ounce tomahawk rib eye “for the table” is $147.

Chops Lobster Bar, 101 Plaza Real South, Boca Raton. Chopslobsterbar.com

Large traditional chophouse with seafood and steaks. Black Angus filet mignon is $58 for an 8-ounce, and $72 for a 12-ounce. The 40-ounce porterhouse for two is $162. A 16-ounce bone-in NY strip is $82, and the tomahawk rib eye is $132. Spinach salad is made tableside.

Outback Steakhouse, 8841 Glades Road, Boca Raton. Locations.outback.com

This Tampa-based casual steakhouse chain is a favorite of families and travelers. Here, a 6-ounce filet mignon is $29.99; an 8-ounce is $34.99. The 20-ounce bone-in rib eye is $36.49; the 12-ounce NY strip is $26.79, and the 15-ounce Delmonico rib eye is $39.49. All dinners come with a potato and side dish.

Ke’e Grill, 17940 N. Military Trail, Boca Raton. Keegrillbocaraton.com

An upscale, casual restaurant featuring steaks and seafood. The 9-ounce filet mignon is $54.95; a 12-ounce rib eye is $54.95 — and these are served with a potato and vegetable. The spinach Maria is notable.

Avalon, 110 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach. Avalondelray.com

The indoor-outdoor dining room makes for a lively atmosphere at this upscale restaurant on the Avenue. Here they serve prime beef, both dry- and wet-aged.

Filet mignon is $56, served with garlic mash, spinach and peppercorn sauce. The 14-ounce rib eye is $59 and served with fingerling potatoes and asparagus and a red wine sauce. 

Hyde Park Prime Steakhouse, 601 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach. Hydeparkrestaurants.com

This bright club-like, mod steakhouse can get loud with the upscale date-night group. 

Prime, and both imported and domestic wagyu meats, are on the menu. An 8-ounce filet mignon is $59; the 12-ounce is $72. The bone-in 22-ounce rib eye is $85, and the 26-ounce, 36-day dry-aged bone-in rib eye is $98. A 14-ounce steak au poivre with Courvoisier cream is $74.

Michael Mina’s Bourbon Steak, 1000 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach. Bourbonsteakdelray.com

A Michelin chef is behind this modern steakhouse in the Seagate resort. The imported wagyu steaks are the priciest around, sold by the ounce. A Black Angus 8-ounce filet mignon is $61; the 12-ounce NY strip is $64. The Australian wagyu 6-ounce filet is $67. A 16-ounce Delmonico rib eye is $78; the 22-ounce bone-in rib eye is $105. The A5 Japanese wagyu is served in 4-ounce NY strip portions that are $32 per ounce. The same wagyu, rib eye cut, is $48 per ounce. Snow beef, a wagyu from Hokkaido, Japan, is $68 per ounce. A wagyu tasting trio of 4-ounce portions of three cuts is $570. 

Elisabetta’s, 32 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach. Elisabettas.com

Steaks at this high-energy Italian restaurant are bone-in, and dry-aged in-house. They’re served from a wood-fired grill. The bone-in, 16-ounce NY strip is $40, and the 24-ounce is $59. For the bone-in rib eye, the 16-ounce is $45, and the 24-ounce is $63. 

Longhorn Steakhouse, 1562 S. Federal Highway, Delray Beach. Longhornsteakhouse.com

This national chain serves full meals with its steaks. A craft-cocktail menu is in place. The “Outlaw” rib eye, 20 ounces bone-in, is $35.29; Flo’s 6-ounce filet mignon is $27.79; a porterhouse that can be shared is 22 ounces, at $37.99. The 12-ounce rib eye is $28.79. These are served with a baked potato and salad.

El Camino, 15 NE Second Ave., Delray Beach. Elcaminodelray.com

Mexican soul food dished up in a cantina atmosphere. The chile-rubbed steak served as fajitas is $32, and comes with all the fixings — guacamole, pico de gallo, cheese, peppers, onions and tomatoes, plus five tortillas. Diners can choose their steak temp. 

Prime Catch, 700 E. Woolbright Road, Boynton Beach. Primecatchboynton.com

Steaks and seafood are served at the upscale-casual waterfront eatery. A 12-ounce NY strip is $65, and served with pommes puree, white onions, roast carrots and a bordelaise sauce. The petit filet mignon, 6 ounces, is $42 with one side. The throwback steak, a steak Diane, is $38. It’s filet medallions in a cognac cream, with asparagus and fingerling potatoes.

Driftwood, 2005 S. Federal Highway, Boynton Beach. Driftwoodboynton.com

At this casual, friendly eatery, steaks are part of a larger American menu. The grilled 12-ounce NY strip is served with creamed local kale in potato skins, beer-battered onion rings, and smoked tallow bordelaise, for $58. Upper choice meats, the top two-thirds of choice-grade meats, are used. The 44-ounce Creekstone Farm bone-in rib eye, grilled with broccolini and papas bravas, plus three sauces is $130. The steak takes one hour to prepare; it’s suggested to call ahead with the order.

Nicholson Muir, 480 E. Ocean Ave., Boynton Beach. Nicholsonmuir.com

Modern, intimate steakhouse with a Michelin recommendation using single-source ranches.

A 4-ounce prime Angus filet here is $68, and a center cut, 10-ounce is $96. The 16-ounce prime rib eye is $98, while the American wagyu rib eye, 16 ounces, is $175.

The Tomahawk Prime cut, a whopping 40 ounces, feeds four and is $285. The steakhouse serves Japanese A5 wagyu, 4 ounces, for $100.

All steaks are chargrilled to order. Don’t miss this side: Duck confit mac ’n’ cheese ($18).

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

Steak at home 101

For the DIY steak cookers, Cameron Falls of Beauregard’s Fine Meats and Butchery in Boca Raton has advice: “Splurge” for Father’s Day as a special occasion, since meat prices are still soaring. Consider it a gift to dad. Falls dry-ages all the meats he cuts by hand at Beauregard’s, 497 NE 20th St., and knows the butcher’s cuts are best.

Tips on buying:

• Look for quality — USDA Prime is the top 2% of beef in the U.S. Wagyu is considered the top imported meat, though domestic wagyu is gaining fans.                                

• You pay for shrinkage with wagyu because of its deep fat content.                                         

• Don’t dismiss grassfed. “I like to offer grassfed beef cuts,” Falls says. “It’s more interesting than wagyu.” The flavor is less iron-tasting, he says.                                                

• Don’t pay for showy tomahawk or cowboy steaks — you’re paying for bone. At $35 to $55 a pound, that’s money you can’t eat.                                      

• The most tender is the filet mignon; the flatiron is the second-most tender.                             

• Fans of steak frites at French bistros should buy the hangar steak.                               

• Buy extra — leftover steak is great, he said. Buy just under a pound per person.          

How to cook it for perfect results every time: 

“We recommend the reverse sear. Use a very good thermometer,” Falls says. And follow these steps:

1) “Get a thick steak for best results, and one weighing two or more pounds.”              

2) “Season the beef well. You can’t over-season a steak.”

3)  Insert the probe, and cook the steak in the oven at 225 degrees. Bring the interior temp to 115 to 118.                                            

4) “Take it out of the oven. Let it rest for 45 minutes. Set the oven to 500 degrees and cook for 10 minutes. It will be perfectly tender and pink all the way through.”                      

5) Let it rest on the cutting board briefly to allow the juices to settle, then slice it against the grain to present on the platter.”                            

6) Serve it with a compound butter, creamed spinach and a potato, and that’s a steak dinner fit for any father, Falls says.

Andy Rubin and Chuck van Buskirk show off their lobster haul during a mini-season. Divers are scouting possible lobster hangouts ahead of the July 29-30 mini-season this year. Photo provided

By Steve Waters

Lobster mini-season will be here before you know it, so now is the time to get ready for South Florida’s unofficial summer holiday.

The two-day lobster sport season, as it is officially known, is the last Wednesday and Thursday in July, which this year is July 29-30.

The mini-season is popular because it is the first chance to catch lobsters since the recreational and commercial lobster seasons closed on April 1, and the crustaceans are not as wary as they typically are when being constantly harassed by divers.

The other main attraction is that divers outside of the Florida Keys are allowed to catch 12 lobsters a day, which is twice the bag limit during the regular season, which starts Aug. 6.

As inviting as that is, too many scuba divers wait until the last minute to check out their equipment, which may not have been used since last year’s mini-season. The sooner you make sure your dive gear is ready for mini-season, the better.

If your equipment has issues — whether it’s a rotted gasket in a regulator or an air tank that needs to be visually inspected to make sure it’s safe — it can be next to impossible to find a dive shop a few days before mini-season that can do the work in time for you to hunt lobsters.

Those who plan to go out for mini-season on a charter dive boat can make their reservations now. The advantages of going with a charter boat include being dropped in the water where lobsters are known to hang out and knowing that the charter operators will check that their gear is ready.

“Usually we’re pretty on them before they get on the boat. Most of your charter boats are,” said Jeff Torode, of South Florida Diving Headquarters in Pompano Beach, which offers dive trips off Boca Raton, Delray Beach and Boynton Beach. “We make sure they have all their dive equipment, all their lobster equipment and all their licenses. We’re going to make sure that they have what they’re supposed to have.”

In addition to readying your dive gear, it’s a good idea to make sure that you are in shape for mini-season. If you haven’t been diving for several months, get back in the water before mini-season. If you haven’t dived since last mini-season, or longer, you might want to take a refresher class.

“We’ll put you in the pool and take you out for a dive trip and get your skills back up to where they should be,” Torode said.

Spending time in the water before mini-season also gives you an idea of where lobsters are located.

Since the regular lobster season closed, some divers have been spearfishing for grouper and hogfish and keeping an eye out not only for lobsters, but places where lobsters might be next month.

If they see several lobsters hanging out in a coral reef or clustered under a ledge, the divers will pull down on their dive flags so their boat driver knows to mark the spot by hitting the man overboard button on the chart plotter.

Sometimes divers will see a hole with no lobsters, but lots of marine life, which could be a place that lobsters will move into when the mini-season begins at 12:01 a.m. on July 29.

If you see lionfish by a reef, mark that spot because lionfish love the same habitat as lobsters. And if you see a lobster before the mini-season, be prepared to shoot a lionfish with your speargun or pole spear.

Be advised that some spots that have lots of lobsters now might have only a few when mini-season begins. But sometimes lobsters will hang out in the same place for weeks.

A dive buddy once found a spot loaded with lobsters two months before mini-season. He checked it on a regular basis, and it remained loaded. On the first day of mini-season, he and his crew all got their 12-lobster limits from that one spot.

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

Michael Fatigante and his father, Kyle Fatigante, stroll the new Storybook Trail at Barwick Park. Photos by Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

By Faran Fagen

You can enjoy an underwater pizza party as you stroll along Storybook Trail at Barwick Park. You just have to use your imagination.

Crafting creativity is just what the city of Delray Beach and its Kiwanis Club had in mind when the storytelling trail debuted on April 13.

Children’s book author Mike Lowery’s Pizza Shark: A Fin-tastic Feast, is the first book to adorn the walking path for young children — and their parents and grandparents — to enjoy at no cost.

“It’s a wonderful way for families to enjoy walking and reading together, and helps foster the love of reading,” said Diane Colonna, president of the Delray Beach Kiwanis Club. “It also builds the relationships between parents, grandparents and children.”

As visitors walk along the trail at 735 Barwick Road, they’ll encounter 16 stations displaying pages from a children’s book, creating a fun and engaging reading adventure in nature. 

“It’s educational value, physical value and entertainment value,” said Joel Davidson, chairman of the Storybook Trail committee. “We intend to instill a love of reading with this project.”

Delray Beach Kiwanis Club member Joel Davidson, who envisioned the project with the city, brings hard copies of the book on display to hand to visitors.

Each book will remain for three months, offering a fresh reading adventure each season.

The trail caters to children  in kindergarten through third grade — but the large visuals and pictures can appeal to everyone. 

The second book to be displayed on the trail this summer will be Ross Burach’s Make Way for Butterfly, a riotous adventure in the Very Impatient Caterpillar series.

The third and fourth books, in the latter half of 2026, are about learning sign language and a penguin who dreams of being an astronaut, respectively. The committee is in the process of picking out books for 2027.

Storybook Trails have been popping up in all 50 states and 12 countries. Local schools, and even day-care facilities, can use the trails for educational and physical fitness purposes.

Davidson, who moved to Delray Beach from Tamarac in 2021, enjoyed the storybook trail at Tamarac’s Waters Edge Park, and hoped to create another trail in Delray Beach.

“People aren’t reading as much anymore,” Davidson said. “People don’t have books at home. It’s important to see words and pictures in front of them. It’s educational.”

In 2022, Davidson approached the city with the idea. A $4,500 grant was procured from Kiwanis, which the city matched. In November 2024, the project was approved.

In March 2026, the concrete was laid for 18 stations. The first station is a welcome board, the final station is a “thank you for coming” board, and the 16 stations in between are the pages of the chosen book.

The stations are durable enough to be weatherproof, and the pages are made of polystyrene, a material that is lightweight, flexible, and both water- and tear-resistant.

On April 13, Delray Beach Mayor Tom Carney and other city dignitaries and Kiwanis officials wielded a huge pair of scissors to cut the red ribbon to officially open the trail.

City Manager Terrence Moore lives just a few miles from Barwick Park and visits often. He’s thrilled to see so many families read along the trail.

“It’s an opportunity to expose residents to literature that they would not have available otherwise,” Moore said.

Amy Hanson, parks and recreation assistant director, championed the project.

“It’s something we’re all proud of,” Moore said. “We hope young people and people of all ages can enjoy this and contribute to our parks and recreation environment.”

Davidson has frequented the Storybook Trail since the ribbon-cutting to see his vision come to life. He often brings hard copies of Pizza Shark, hands them out to excited children, and delights in seeing them smile.

He even made stickers that say, “I walked the Story Trail at Barwick Park at Delray Beach” to hand out. 

“Our mission at Kiwanis is ‘one child and one community at a time,’” Davidson said.

For Colonna, the trail provides a much more direct message: “It’s a way to combine a love of nature with a love of reading,” she said. 

For more information, contact Parks and Recreation at 561-243-7250, Option 3.

Bibletown, which held its first conference 75 years ago, at its peak attracted hundreds of thousands of Christians to Boca Raton each year. Photo provided

By Janis Fontaine 

Before it was Boca Raton Community Church, it was called Bibletown. 

The real name was the Boca Raton Bible Grounds Conference Center, but evangelist Billy Graham nicknamed it Bibletown, and the name stuck. 

Founded in 1950 by Dr. Ira Lee “Doc” Eshleman, a Detroit pastor who hosted a radio program in Miami, it was built on what had been a World War II radar base. Eshleman converted the former Army Air Corps installation into a seasonal mecca for the faithful who came from all over to sing and pray. The first conference took place in July 1951, but most events happened from January to March. It looked more like a resort than a church campus with visitors staying in motel rooms and swimming in the sparkling blue pool.  

Thousands of people came to see nationally known speakers and performers. According to a story in the Boca Raton Tribune, “Bibletown became one of the largest Christian conference centers in the world, drawing approximately 200,000 annual visitors. At its peak, the campus included 110 motel rooms, multiple dining halls, and a 2,500-seat sanctuary built in 1969.” 

Eshleman also catalyzed the development of Boca Raton, especially areas surrounding his Bible Center, but his wider reach came from founding Sports World Ministries to help professional athletes share their faith. He became a chaplain for the National Football League and was the first to hold pregame chapel services.

In 1976, a fire destroyed the original radar building, the cafeteria and the conference center. But within a few years, the campus had been rebuilt and in 1981 Billy Graham returned to Bibletown to formally dedicate the new buildings. 

As the end of the 20th century approached, attendance began to fall off. The church’s sprawling campus on both sides of Northwest Fourth Avenue south of Glades Road was in disrepair. “Staffing was minimal, and buildings deteriorated. Electrical and sound systems had not been updated since the 1950s,” the Sun Sentinel wrote in 2006. The church sold most of its land, keeping about 20 acres. 

In 2003, the Rev. Jonathan Burnham came on board and the church reorganized with a new worship style, new leadership and a new philosophy. Burnham spent the next three years revamping the renamed Boca Raton Community Church into “a year-round operation that emphasizes nondenominational, contemporary worship for local residents,” according to the Sun Sentinel. 

Around the same time, Bill Mitchell came on board as an assistant pastor, but he’d been a member of the church for years. Mitchell is one of those rare Floridians who can trace his lineage back three generations on both sides, and the family had roots in the church. 

“Boca Raton Community Church is the church where I grew up,” he said in an interview with Good News Florida in 2018. “When my wife moved here from Jamaica, she started attending this church as well. We were seniors in high school when we met and later were married in this church. I was an elder and Sunday School teacher.”

After 25 years in real estate development, Mitchell became a full-time pastor, leading BRCC with the skill he used in the business world. In 2014, he started CityLead Boca to use his expertise in a new way. 

Mitchell discovered that most leadership principles are found in Jesus’ teachings. He invited local business leaders to lunch and spoke about ethical leadership, Christian character and civic unity. The ministry grew, drawing as many as 350 people each month. Familiar themes include “Leading with Justice, Mercy, Humility and Authenticity.” 

It didn’t happen overnight, but CityLead, Mitchell and BRCC raised the ethical bar. CityLead chapters opened in Fort Lauderdale and Miami and 20 other cities around the nation, and WorldLead, an international spin-off, became active in 40 countries.

“If I helped people pursue God, build community and engage the world, I would have done what I think God has called me to do,” Mitchell said. 

Senior pastor Matthew McDaniel, who replaced Mitchell when he left to join the board of directors at the nonprofit Food for the Poor in 2024, agrees that the community is the heart of the church.

“It’s hard, maybe even be impossible, to be a Christian on your own,” he said. “You need to be a part of a community.  

“In the Book of Galatians, Paul talks about the fruit of the spirit, and we’ve got this list of characteristics that are supposed to be evidence that God lives within you, as a Christian. We ask, which one of these fruits — there are nine of them: it’s love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control — can be completed successfully in isolation? 

“We were designed to be in relationships,” McDaniel said. “From the very beginning, we’ve been connected with other people.”

McDaniel doesn’t want to discourage people who like to stream the weekly service, but in-person church works better, he says. It’s the energy. 

“On a given Sunday, we have somewhere around 600 adults and another 150 kids or so, plus tons of volunteers serving all over the place. I think there’s something special when people are together physically that you just can’t get otherwise.” 

Imagine a Zoom meeting, he said. “If you were sitting across from me, it would be a different experience. There is a different feeling, I think especially when you’re talking about a faith community.” 

God wants us to be part of our community, McDaniel said. “Examples of God’s people being called to live in a community with one another fill the Old and New Testament. Loving your neighbors, being hospitable to strangers, caring for the sick, welcoming the aliens. There’s a whole list of things that we can talk about, but definitely community is important from many perspectives.” 

There’s another reason we need a community, he said. It’s where we find our inspiration — the people we want to emulate. McDaniel believes that by imitating Christ and the most Christ-like people in our lives, we can mold ourselves into better people. “I’ve had lots of people who have helped me in my journey,” he said. “Too many to name.” 

They fall into three categories: those who walk in front of us, beside us and behind us. Our mentors walk in front — like Mitchell, who was senior pastor at the church when McDaniel came. They have a moral foundation and ethics we admire and help guide us forward. For those who walk behind us, we are the guides, and we are called to be better people as role models for them. 

But those who walk beside us, our peers, our friends, our helpers, our mates, may do the most to mold us into the people we are meant to be, and the best place to find them may be next to you in the pew. 

Boca Raton Community Church is at 470 NW Fourth Ave., Boca Raton. Services take place at 10:30 a.m. Sunday. 561-395-2400; bocacommunity.org.

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

For many churches, summer vacation is synonymous with Vacation Bible School. Educators like Christine Yount Jones, executive editor of Children’s Ministry magazine, says even a 2-year-old can be taught to understand God’s blessings and benefit from VBS. 

Jones tells the story of the “Blessing of the Owie,” a way to get kids to open up and see God in their young lives. 

“We start by showing an owie on our body — a scraped knee or cut on our hand. Then we tell what happened. We also talk about how amazing God is that he has created our bodies to heal. Then we ask the little ones if they have an owie. All of them begin scanning their feet, legs and arms for owies,” she said. 

“Then we take turns praying for and blessing the owies, asking God to heal the owie.”

Showing kids that God is a vital and personal part of their daily lives can’t start too early, Jones said. 

And those lessons stick, according to a 2025 article in Bible Analysis: “VBS not only plants seeds of faith but also nurtures lasting connections within the church community,” it said. “Moreover, VBS can stimulate ongoing participation in church life. Many children who attend VBS become involved in other church activities, such as youth groups, Sunday school, or family services.” 

Here’s what’s happening at five local churches. Check with your church or a church near you for more programs.

First United Methodist Church’s VBS will shine a light ‘on who Jesus really is’ June 8-12. Image provided

First United Methodist Church hosts “Illumination Station,” designed to shine a light “on who Jesus really is,” 9 a.m.-noon June 8-12 at the church, 625 NE Mizner Blvd., Boca Raton. The VBS is open to all potty-trained children 3 years old through fifth grade. The cost is $50 per child but you can save $10 per child if you volunteer for the week. Call 561-395-1244 or visit fumcbocaraton.org/category/summer-programs/.

Boca Raton Community Church will host “Shine,” an evening adaptation of VBS, 6-8 p.m. June 15-18 for children entering pre-K through sixth grade in the main sanctuary of the church at 470 NW Fourth Ave. This high-energy, faith-filled summer experience helps kids grow their love for the Lord through Bible studies disguised as fun. This year’s theme is “God sees my heart,” based on 1 Samuel 16:7b: “People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” The cost is $30 per child. Call 561-395-2400 or register at bocacommunity.ccbchurch.com/goto/forms/1069/responses/new.

St. Paul’s Episcopal VBS transforms the campus into a theme park of fun and learning from 8:45 a.m. to noon June 8-11. This attracts almost as many volunteers as campers, the church said, because the learning doesn’t stop with kids. Adults also expand their understanding of Bible stories through creative play like skits, songs, crafts and games. A service project is often connected to the themed activities; one summer, after learning of the Apostle Paul’s imprisonment, children wrote notes of encouragement to people serving time in jail. St. Paul’s is at 188 S. Swinton Ave., Delray Beach. Cost is $45 per child, from pre-K to those entering fourth grade. Call 561-276-4541 or visit tinyurl.com/5bs3pc8t to register.

Emmanuel Catholic Church will have a rainforest theme for its VBS, June 5-7. Kids will be immersed in “Rainforest Falls: Exploring the Nature of God,” a fun, faith-filled adventure for kids in pre-K through fifth grade. Registration is $50 per child, and family assistance is available. Volunteers are also needed, and teens are welcome — they can earn service hours while making a difference. The church is at 15700 S. Military Trail, Delray Beach. Call 561-496-2480 or go to emmanuelcatholic.church.

St. Paul Lutheran Church will also host a “Rainforest Falls” VBS, 9 a.m.-noon June 8-12 at the church, 701 W. Palmetto Park Road, Boca Raton. Kids will visit Rainforest Falls, overflowing with waterfalls and colorful creatures, to discover the nature of God. Kids explore what it means to be rooted in a relationship with God, who is their safe place in life’s storms. Contact Christie Secreto at 561-395-0433 or csecreto@stpaulboca.com.

The Mormon Church recently purchased Uptown Boca Villas at 20927 95th Ave. S. Photo provided

Mormon Church expands its Palm Beach County footprint  

The Mormon Church is expanding its Palm Beach County properties with the acquisition of the Uptown Boca Villas complex, according to a story in Florida Real Estate Wire in May.

Located near U.S. 441 and Glades Road, the 456-unit, seven-story building was purchased by the LDS Property Reserve, the real estate arm of the church, for $240 million. It’s not the group’s first purchase. 

In summer 2025, the Property Reserve paid $152.5 million for the 384-unit Del Ola apartment complex on Federal Highway in Boca Raton. It also bought the 284-unit Elan Polo Gardens on Chukka Lane in Wellington at the end of 2024 for $102 million. The Mormon Church’s residential real estate holdings now total about half a billion dollars in Palm Beach County. 

Rabbi Hector Epelbaum wins prestigious award  

In May, Rabbi Hector Epelbaum of B’nai Torah Congregation in Boca Raton was the recipient of the 2026 Rabbi Dr. Barry and Anita Kinzbrunner Award, which is presented by the Neshama Association of Jewish Chaplains. It recognizes individuals who demonstrate extraordinary compassion, dedication to pastoral care and a lifelong commitment to acts of loving kindness. It is one of the association’s highest honors. 

Rabbi Epelbaum has served in Conservative pulpits for more than 33 years in Argentina, Israel and the United States. Raised in Buenos Aires, he worked in Netanya in Israel before coming to South Florida in 2014 as the spiritual leader of Temple Beth Israel in Sunrise. He came to B’nai Torah in June 2023 as an associate rabbi. 

Myrna Gross named  Volunteer of the Year

On April 28, at B’nai Torah’s 2026 general meeting, members approved the annual budget and welcomed the incoming board. But the highlight of the evening was recognizing Myrna Gross as the 2026 Volunteer of the Year. 

For more than 40 years, Gross has been a devoted member and volunteer, giving generously of her time, energy and heart. A Facebook post said the honor recognized “Myrna’s tireless dedication and lasting impact on our synagogue community. ... Whenever there is a need, she steps forward — and when asked, she is always ready to answer the call.”

Yoga programs offered at St. Gregory’s church

St. Gregory’s Episcopal Church, 100 NE Mizner Blvd., Boca Raton, continues to offer two programs that combine movement and prayer. At 4 p.m. June 18, 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. Bring your yoga mat and water.

At 4 p.m. June 27, join YogaMass in St. Mary’s Chapel, a combination of graceful yoga, words of faith and contemplative meditation with Neville and the Rev. Elizabeth Pankey-Warren leading. Bring your yoga mat and water. Call 561-395-8285 or email rneville@st-gregorys.com. 

Juneteenth celebration returns to St. Gregory’s 

St. Gregory’s Episcopal Church’s “Juneteenth Celebration: Celebrating Freedom” takes place 5-8 p.m. June 20 at the church. The event begins in the sanctuary and is followed by a potluck dinner in Harris Hall. (Please bring a dish to share. Ethnic dishes are encouraged.)

Music is by the Resurrection Steel Pan Orchestra. Donations are welcomed. St. Gregory’s is at 100 NE Mizner Blvd., Boca Raton. Call 617-461-3122 or visit stgregorysepiscopal.org/juneteenth.

— Janis Fontaine

Repair work starts on the George Bush Boulevard bridge over the Intracoastal Waterway in Delray Beach on June 1. Motorists and pedestrians are advised to detour to the Atlantic Avenue bridge, via Federal Highway or State Road A1A, to cross the Intracoastal. Graphic provided

By Larry Barszewski

The George Bush Boulevard bridge will be closed to traffic for seven weeks starting at 7 a.m. June 1 so that essential deck repairs can be made.

The closure will affect vehicle and pedestrian traffic, but no closures for maritime traffic on the Intracoastal Waterway are expected. The bridge, built in 1949, is expected to return to normal operations on July 20.

The recommended detour is to cross using the nearest Intracoastal bridge, on Atlantic Avenue in Delray Beach to the south, either via Federal Highway or State Road A1A. The next bridge to the north is on Woolbright Road in Boynton Beach.

Officials said the needed work had been anticipated. Temporary measures have been implemented to keep the bridge operating safely until the upcoming closure.

Palm Beach County Engineering and Public Works, which is overseeing the maintenance work, considered alternatives to the complete shutdown, but officials said they found no ability to safely reopen the bridge at any time while the work is being done.

The closure may provide a taste of things to come. The county is currently studying what to do with the 77-year-old bascule bridge, which “has surpassed its useful life and is considered functionally obsolete due to the substandard roadway width,” according to the county’s description of the study.

Public hearings on the study are anticipated in 2028, with the study’s expected completion targeted for 2029.

“Palm Beach County is considering repair, rehabilitation, and replacement alternatives to improve the bridge’s capacity, reliability, and overall safety while maintaining its critical role as a designated hurricane evacuation route,” according to the project's online site. “Alternatives include a new bascule bridge with enhanced facilities for vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists, and transit users, designed in accordance with Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) requirements. Wider shoulders, sidewalks separated by raised barriers, and traffic operation enhancements along the corridor will also be evaluated as part of the study.”

Information about the study is available at georgebushblvdbridge.com.

Anyone with questions about the study, or wanting to be added to the project mailing list, can contact Michael Sileno, the consultant project manager, at (954) 495-0566, or by email at msileno@hardestyhanover.com.

Two people were shot outside The Standard Cuisine & Cocktails establishment in downtown Boca Raton shortly after 12:30 a.m. May 25. Staff photo

Boca Raton police are investigating an early morning shooting May 25 outside The Standard Cuisine & Cocktails downtown.

Police said two adults were shot during the Memorial Day incident, which took place just after 12:30 a.m. near The Standard, 187 SE Mizner Blvd., located in Royal Palm Place. The two were transported to a local hospital and their conditions were unavailable, police said.

The suspect fled the scene and police are working to identify the individual. Detectives are also trying to determine the events leading up to the shooting.

Anyone with information regarding this ongoing investigation is asked to contact Detective Desiderato at (561) 982-4991.

— Larry Barszewski

April 30 is the last day of business for the Seaside Deli & Market on State Road A1A in the County Pocket between Briny Breezes and Gulf Stream. There were still plenty of drinks in the refrigerated section in the afternoon, but the store's shelves were laid bare in preparation for the closing. The market, 4635 N. Ocean Blvd., had been open in its current form for just over three years.

Under prior ownership, which left in January 2023, the store had been a local favorite for 20 years, serving up fresh sandwiches with a loyal clientele. There was even an unsuccessful "Save the Deli" campaign. The market reopened in February 2023 under new ownership but without the fresh-made sandwiches. Photos/Tim Stepien

County staffing hours called into question after St. Andrews lifeguards rescue swimmers when park is unsupervised

Verda Morus removes warning flags at the end of his shift in mid-April at Gulfstream Park. Palm Beach County park policy requires lifeguards to leave after posted times even if visitors remain amid poor conditions. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

Related: Doctor’s death prompts Highland Beach to begin a surf warning campaign

By Brian Biggane

Gulfstream Park and the St. Andrews Club sit side-by-side between Briny Breezes and Gulf Stream, but their relationship is not exactly neighborly. 

Palm Beach County lifeguards patrol the park’s beach daily from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., but as spring moves toward summer another two to three hours of daylight remain when the beach sits unsupervised. As a result, St. Andrews’ guards on several occasions have become the difference between life and death.

“I just think they don’t really care about what’s going on out here,” St. Andrews General Manager Robert Grassi said of the county’s Parks and Recreation Department. St. Andrews head lifeguard Connie Case added that “100%” of her staff’s rescues have come at Gulfstream Park.

Grassi said on March 8 his guards left their posts to run the approximately 200 yards north along the beach to rescue two swimmers in the early evening. 

And on Nov. 10, 2024, 15-year-old Prestyn Smith died when he got caught in a rip current around 7 a.m. Guards were on site but had not yet reported to the tower. They saved his mother and brother, but his body was not discovered until hours later.

St. Andrews Club lifeguards have responded to save swimmers during the unsupervised hours at Gulfstream Park. Coastal Star graphic/Google Map

Since January, the issue has been the purview of John Meskiel, the county’s newly promoted chief of Ocean Rescue who has worked for the county for 38 years, many of them as a lifeguard. He oversees the county’s 14 public, guarded beaches from Jupiter to Boca Raton.

“It’s a dangerous beach, obviously, especially when there are no lifeguards there,” Meskiel said of Gulfstream.

Grassi emailed Meskiel with his concerns back in March and Meskiel largely agreed, saying, “He’s brought up things we’ve been saying for decades. As with the case with everything, it comes down to the dollar.”

One antidote, of course, would be to lengthen the lifeguards’ hours. Municipal guards at Boca Raton and Delray Beach stay until 6:30 p.m. during daylight saving time, though both start at 9 a.m.

Meskiel has considered proposing his guards work 12-hour days starting May 1, but recognizes that may not be workable.

“How do we work that out with the union?” he asked. “How does that work out with my staffing levels?”

Guards currently work four 10-hour shifts a week; adding two hours would work out to three 12-hour shifts, with Meskiel suggesting possibly another four hours of training.

Morus removes cones and signage at the beach at Gulfstream Park at the end of his shift, even as beachgoers remain. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

On a recent afternoon at Gulfstream, lifeguard Tyler McGrew shook his head at that idea. “I wouldn’t be a fan of that,” he said. “We’re under union contract, so that would have to be renegotiated. Unless there was a monetary incentive involved, I don’t believe the majority of the guards would go for it.”

The county continues to grow in population at a rapid pace, so more residents means more staffing is required. Meskiel said he will be adding 10 positions this spring and he hopes five more in the summer countywide. With veteran guards earning about $80,000 per year and getting another $10,000 or more in benefits, that amounts to more stress on the county’s $80 million-plus annual parks and recreation budget.

Another effort to improve safety at the beaches involves signage. Every beach park has a chalkboard near the guard tower advising visitors of tides, sea temperature, winds and the like. Guards invariably also post colored flags warning of rip currents and sea life such as jellyfish.

Meskiel has gone even further, having lifeguards post signs and red flags on PVC poles near the beach warning of dangers after guards leave for the day. “But I would say 80% of the time they’ve been vandalized by the next morning,” he said. “Most of those are hanging in a dorm room or man cave somewhere.”

Both Meskiel and Grassi expressed a desire to have the park locked and parking lots emptied when lifeguards leave. 

However, Gulfstream has several barbecue stations along with showers and bathrooms, so visitors often linger up to dark and even later, likely making that unworkable.

The bottom line, Meskiel said, is for visitors to read the chalkboard at the entrance, and even more important, a sign just below the guard station warning of the dangers of rip currents.

“It’s rip current awareness,” he said. “That sign actually shows you what a rip current is, how you can get stuck in it and how you can escape it. If you’re going to take the chance of swimming in an unguarded beach, then that’s the stuff you need to know.”