Senior Rabbi David Steinhardt retired after 31 years from B’nai Torah Congregation in Boca Raton, the largest conservative synagogue in South Florida. Photo provided 

By Janis Fontaine

When Rabbi David Steinhardt of B’nai Torah said goodbye to his congregation of 1,400 families, he said goodbye to thousands of friends he knew by name. 

Harold Jacobsohn of Highland Beach and his wife, Beatriz, became B’nai Torah members even before Steinhardt arrived in 1994, but for the last 31 years, the man Harold Jacobsohn calls “the people’s rabbi” has been their rabbi. 

“We respect him tremendously as a rabbi and as a personal friend. He’s been there for our family during our joys, and he was there with a hug that felt genuine and was a great source of comfort in a moment of sorrow,” Jacobsohn said.  

For births and bar mitzvahs, weddings and funerals, Steinhardt served without restraint before he retired at the end of June after 42 years as a rabbi. He knew people’s most intimate stories but never shared the details. 

“We are pleased with the way he has led the congregation through difficult times and always served the community socially and spiritually,” Jacobsohn said. “He handled COVID extremely well. What I most admire is his deep insight into the soul of his community and people individually.”

Steinhardt has faced myriad challenges leading the largest conservative Jewish congregation in South Florida and has witnessed tremendous growth in the population and prosperity of the Jewish community in Boca Raton. He’s especially proud of his work with Cathy Berkowitz, the synagogue’s longtime education director, in redesigning and revolutionizing the after-school program, bringing in computers and the arts, and charting students’ growth and progress. As a result, attendance soared. 

“Small ideas perpetuated into big programs,” Steinhardt said. “Like TLC with Summer Faerman. I take great pride in that.” 

TLC — Tzedakah, Learning, and Chesed — began in 2012 to turn the concept of the “mitzvah of tzedakah,” one of the most important components of synagogue life, into tangible acts to help others. Led by Steinhardt and Faerman, hundreds of volunteers perform acts of service like feeding the hungry and working with the mobile shower ministry with their Christian partner, St. Gregory’s Episcopal Church. 

Steinhardt will continue his interfaith work, performed alongside the Rev. Andrew Sherman of St. Gregory’s, in retirement. “The interfaith work is really who he is,” Sherman said by phone. 

The two men met 20 years ago when Sherman was conducting his first Christmas Eve service at St. Gregory’s. “I noticed a Jewish man sitting in the back enjoying the music, so I introduced myself and we agreed to meet for coffee. We started connecting and we resurrected the Boca Raton Interfaith Clergy Association. He and I have been coworkers and colleagues ever since,” Sherman said. 

Today, the Gentile and the Jew are best friends.

“I love him so much!" Sherman said. “He’s a true mensch, as they say. I’ve always responded to his warmth, but our friendship and our mutual work, like feeding the homeless, has blossomed. 

“For 20 years our vision has been the same: to bring the community together. One of the gifts of Boca Raton is the diversity of the religious community, our Christian and Jewish members as well as a growing Muslim population and presence. We believe if we can model in Boca Raton what a conversation that doesn’t compromise your religious integrity might look like, we can help spread that message to other communities. We are fellow children of God, and we can serve together, connecting and affirming our community. We know this is possible. We feel if we model it in Boca Raton, we can show that to the world.” 

There may be no better model for interfaith understanding than David Steinhardt. 

A rabbi is a rabbi for life, but now Steinhardt, 72, becomes a “rabbi emeritus.” He’ll continue to serve his congregation as he’s needed, but he’s ready to make time for himself and for his family, and spend summers in cool green spaces around the Berkshires in Massachusetts with his wife, Tobi, five children and seven grandchildren.

“It was a huge decision, but the timing was right,” he said. “This is very unique work, and it puts you in a special place. It’s very public. I get a lot of adulation as a virtue of the role.” 

In reality, the love and respect he’s given have been largely earned. Helene Ballen of Highland Beach, who worked alongside him, said the rabbi has a rare ability to make people feel “seen and heard and understood. He knows our stories and he knows how to comfort us. He takes on everyone’s hardships, but he doesn’t let it weigh him down. I hope people know how hard he worked and how much he cares. He’s the heart of our congregation.”

That came with long hours, and Steinhardt is ready for a life without working weekends and nights or being on call. “I want time to pursue personal interests. I plan to spend time outdoors. I plan to spend more time taking care of myself, and by that I mean pursuing a spiritual life with more time reading and at study, and more time traveling with my wife.”

Steinhardt is confident B’nai Torah will continue to thrive.

“The synagogue is better than it’s ever been,” he said.

Jewish life in South Florida continues to grow and Steinhardt’s interfaith work will be critical to its success. 

“I’ll continue to have conversations with leaders and write and learn more about the theology of our differences, to study pluralism,” he said. 

Put 700 people in a room and tell them the word of God and each will hear something different, Steinhardt says. “People hear it based on their own backgrounds and learning. We need humility to see that there are other perspectives.” 

The reaction to his departure has been “quite beautiful,” Steinhardt said. “People understand working as a rabbi for 42 years is a long time.” 

If he could leave one message for his congregation, perhaps it would be this: “Never stop learning. Learning is fundamental to Jewish life.” 

As he looks to what’s next, Steinhardt said, “I look at the future with guarded optimism. We’re from a tradition of suffering and we’ve always come through. The near future is going to be really challenging, We have to remember that autocracy does not help democracy. Equal rights and freedom and justice — that stuff is being challenged. But the pendulum will swing, so there’s reason to be optimistic. 

“We’re facing a great challenge. We need voices and visionaries. We need to find the people who are working to make life better among our educators and scholars and in the arts. Give them the support they need. 

“The truth is, everyone is afraid. Huddle close. But never give up hope.” 

A successor has not been chosen, but Steinhardt will continue to assist the congregation as a “rabbi emeritus.”

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

Leonardo ’Leo’ Vallejo-Bryant, former manager at the Breeze Ocean Kitchen, receives a Lifesaving Award from the Red Cross for dislodging food from a choking diner’s throat while on duty. Julie Unwin, the Red Cross South Florida Region’s chief operating officer, presents the certificate. Photo provided

By Jan Engoren

It was a typical Saturday afternoon at the Breeze Ocean Kitchen in the Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa when, without warning, a man began choking on his food, causing a hush to fall over the room.

General manager Leonardo “Leo” Vallejo-Bryant, 43, of Hypoluxo, was overseeing operations when one of his team members signaled to him from across the restaurant.

Expecting a customer complaint or a problem, he suddenly saw a life-or-death situation and a woman attempting the Heimlich maneuver and performing abdominal thrusts on her husband.

Noticing that she was struggling, Vallejo-Bryant sprang into action and took over the lifesaving technique.

“I was in shock watching his lips turn purple,” Vallejo-Bryant recalled. He instructed his assistant manager to call 911 while continuing the thrusts and incorporating back blows.

After roughly a dozen attempts by the manager, a piece of hot dog dislodged from the man’s throat.

“I felt so grateful once he began breathing,” Vallejo-Bryant said. “I could see his wife’s relief.”

Despite feeling shaken, he returned to work — thankful the outcome was positive.

Vallejo-Bryant, a 2010 graduate of Florida Atlantic University, credits his training and experience for his quick response. With 20 years in the food and beverage industry, he’s taken numerous CPR and lifesaving courses through his workplaces. 

The knowledge stayed with him as he used these skills for the first time.

Vallejo-Bryant, now a client adviser at Braman BMW MINI in West Palm Beach, is passionate about taking emergency training seriously.

“Be prepared to act,” he said. “People freeze in a high-pressure situation — but take action and just do it.”

As a team leader and a father of two, Vallejo-Bryant was used to being in a position of responsibility. His motto, “Sometimes you just gotta clean up, even when it’s not your mess,” encapsulates the mindset that drove him to intervene without missing a beat.

In May, Vallejo-Bryant was honored by the Palm Beach and Treasure Coast Chapter of the American Red Cross with its Lifesaving Award.

The award recognizes ordinary individuals who step up in extraordinary moments.

“Learning lifesaving skills doesn’t just prepare you for the unexpected,” said Traci Mitchell, executive director of the American Red Cross South Florida Region, “it gives you the power to become someone’s hero.”

The Red Cross refers to the technique originally known as the Heimlich maneuver as abdominal thrusts — first aid for when a person can’t breathe due to an obstruction in the throat or windpipe.

The Red Cross offers in-person and online training in basic life support; adult, child and baby first aid/CPR/AED; babysitting and child care; swimming and water safety, and workplace safety, among others.

The training in abdominal thrusts is given as part of the CPR and AED training.

Dariana Molina, the American Red Cross regional communications manager for South Florida, said: “Emergencies don’t wait for anyone. That’s why it’s critical for folks to be equipped with lifesaving skills, so that you feel empowered to act at a moment’s notice, like Leo, and potentially save someone’s life.”

Molina was impressed that Vallejo-Bryant acted in a cool, calm and collected manner, stepping up and using the lifesaving skills he learned in his training classes. And she wasn’t the only one.

“That’s my dad,” said his 6-year-old son and biggest fan, Lincoln, who attended the ceremony. “He’s a hero."

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

Lifesaving resources

American Red Cross material includes:

Website: redcross.org/southflorida

Training information is at redcross.org/take-a-class

A first aid app, provided by the American Red Cross, can be downloaded for free for guidance on what to do in common emergencies.

Awards that allow you to nominate a hero in your community, or a group of individuals who used Red Cross skills or training to save or sustain a life, are at LifesavingAwards.org.

Florida Atlantic University’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine hosted the second annual FairfaxWood Amyloid Related Diseases Summit in May. It was attended by an international group of scientists who discussed the latest research and advancements in the study of these diseases.

Buildup of amyloid proteins, or fibrils, causes amyloidosis, a life-threatening disease that can affect various organs. The most common is in the brain and usually manifests as Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias and as stroke. Treatments are limited and there are no cures. 

In 2023, the FairfaxWood Scholarship Foundation, supported by Boca Raton philanthropists Ann Wood and her late husband, John Wood, gave $11.5 million to the FAU Schmidt College of Medicine in support of amyloidosis research.

 This gift established the FairfaxWood Health and Innovation Technology Initiative, the FAU Amyloidosis Project, and the endowed FairfaxWood chair of clinical neurosciences. 

“Amyloidosis is an awful disease that deserves to be thoroughly researched to get results and to eliminate it,” Ann Wood said. “Our family was personally impacted — my husband, John Wood, in particular — so we are committed to making a difference by funding this annual summit.” 

Michael R. Dobbs, M.D., the first endowed FairfaxWood chair of clinical neurosciences, said: “There are dozens of amyloid-protein related diseases, neurological disorders as well as cardiac, nerve and kidney diseases. There also are millions of people suffering from these diseases with the common thread of amyloid protein deposition.
      “Our summit is an important and timely conversation to bridge the gap between amyloid research and clinical practice,” said Dobbs, who is chair and professor of the Clinical Neurosciences Department and associate dean of clinical affairs within the College of Medicine at FAU. 

Send health news to Christine Davis at cdavis9797@gmail.com.

John Strunk holds up his lobster catch. He recommends getting your gear checked and taking a practice dive in advance of the July 30-31 miniseason. Photo by Steve Waters/The Coastal Star

By Steve Waters

Just about everyone who dives for lobsters looks forward to Florida’s two-day lobster miniseason.

The annual event, which this year is July 30-31, is the first opportunity for recreational divers to catch lobsters since the regular season closed on April 1. The commercial season also closed that day, so there should be an abundance of lobsters hanging around coral reefs, rock piles and ledges.

In addition, because they haven’t been harassed for nearly four months, the bugs — as they are known because of their insect-like appearance — should be less wary.

Best of all for divers in Palm Beach County, the daily bag limit is 12 lobsters, which is twice the limit during the regular season, which opens Aug. 6. The miniseason limit in Biscayne National Park and the Florida Keys is six bugs per person per day (myfwc.com/fishing/saltwater/recreational/lobster/).

Many divers only dive during miniseason, so their skills and their neglected dive equipment could be rusty. But even if you dive often, having a local dive shop check out your gear now will save you some headaches. 

If you want your air tanks inspected and filled, don’t wait until a few days before miniseason because dive shops won’t have time to do it. The same goes for having your regulator and buoyancy compensator checked and repaired, if necessary. 

Why have your dive gear inspected at all? Because a dried-out rubber O-ring that allows air to leak from your tank or your regulator can end your miniseason in a hurry. So can a tear or a rusted spring in your buoyancy compensator. Even something as simple as a broken fin strap can keep you from catching lobsters.

That’s why it’s also a smart idea to dive before miniseason. Not only can you scout for lobsters, you can get reacquainted with being underwater and make sure all of your gear is working properly.

When opening day arrives, many divers are in a rush to get to the bottom and start hunting. If they’d slow down, they’d catch plenty of lobsters and be much safer.

Divers who swim around too quickly end up spooking their quarry. Others, caught up in the thrill of the hunt, run their boats too close to other divers. And some have no idea what they’re doing, but they want a lobster dinner.

“There are a lot of people out there who have no business being out there,” Dave Brisbane said. “One time I was diving in 20 feet of water and a guy jumps in off another boat and almost hits me.”

Brisbane, of Boca Raton, dives during the miniseason with Frank Schmidt of Lighthouse Point. Unlike those who haven’t been diving since last year’s miniseason — “the ones who take their gear out of the garage and blow the dust off,” Schmidt said — they put in their time scouting before the miniseason and they take their time when the season arrives.

“One of Frank’s favorite lines is that guys beat up the lobsters,” Brisbane said. “You can tickle them out nice and easy. Don’t be aggressive.”

There are basically two methods for catching lobsters. Brisbane uses a tickle stick, which is a metal rod with a bend at the tip, and a net. Brisbane taps on a lobster’s tail with his tickle stick to get it to come out from its hiding place, then puts the net behind the lobster. Then he taps the lobster on its head so it scoots backward into the net and rakes the tickle stick across the back of the net so the lobster can’t get out.

Divers also use a lobster snare, which is a shaft with a length of wire or nylon inside that has a loop that protrudes from the end of the shaft. Divers open the loop and slip it over the tail of a lobster and then pull it tight.

A trick that works well with a snare is to extend your hand and wave at the crustacean. While the lobster looks at that hand, you use the other hand to put the loop around its tail. Because the bug is distracted by your hand, it doesn’t notice the snare.

Just take your time doing that and you’ll have the key ingredients for several delicious dinners.

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

Achievement and emotion ruled the day as the Gulf Stream School celebrated its 87th graduation. Head of School Gray Smith honored Charlotte E. Thomas of Gulf Stream with the Donald H. Miller Award, given to the student with the highest grade-point average. Charlotte had a stunning 98.93 GPA (on a 100-point scale). Photos by Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

After 30 years at the school, Wendy Zieglar, assistant to the director of development, is retiring; she held back tears as students entered the ceremony. 

Also retiring after decades at the school, third-grade teacher Nancy Moore armed herself with a bundle of tissues as she received numerous hugs.

UPDATE: Coastal Stewards' president resigns after reducing nonprofit's staff; rehab center vet and coordinator have accepted jobs elsewhere

Visitors to the Gumbo Limbo Nature Center in Boca Raton on Friday could only view patients in the nature center's rehabilitation unit from behind a gated fence after the Coastal Stewards abruptly closed the marine hospital and the nature center's gift shop following a Thursday vote by the nonprofit's board of trustees. BELOW RIGHT: A sign posted on the fence alerted patrons to the nonprofit board's decision. Photos by Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

By Steve Plunkett

The public can no longer visit the sea turtle hospital or buy gifts at the Gumbo Limbo Nature Center in Boca Raton following a decision by the nonprofit Coastal Stewards to cease operations there.

“While public access to the rehabilitation center has ended, the 13 sea turtle patients currently under care will continue to receive veterinary attention onsite,” the group announced in a news release Friday. The nonprofit is working with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to ensure their safe transfer to other licensed facilities, it said.

“Like many environmental nonprofits, the Coastal Stewards has faced increasing difficulty securing consistent and sustainable funding,” Shivani Gupta, a member of the group’s Board of Trustees, said in the release.

The trustees voted to end the rehabilitation program June 12.

Their meeting marked the unraveling of the Coastal Stewards in its present form. John Holloway, the group’s president and chief executive, tendered his resignation but will stay on as a consultant while the Stewards wind down the turtle hospital

Veterinarian Shelby Loos and rescue and rehabilitation coordinator Kara Portocarrero will also stay on to care for the turtle patients but have accepted jobs elsewhere, Holloway said. He said he had terminated the group’s chief financial officer and support staff.

“I’ve done all I can do, and the organization cannot afford a staffing,” he told the trustees.

Holloway, who joined what was then known as the Friends of Gumbo Limbo in 2020 as its first paid president, quickly faced the challenges of that year’s COVID pandemic and the city’s extended closure of the nature center and gift shop, as well as the city’s 2023 decision to keep donations collected at the door to run Gumbo Limbo rather than turn them over to the nonprofit.

That resulted in “an immediate annual loss of approximately $350,000 to our operating budget,” said Holloway, who was paid $122,323 in 2023, according to Internal Revenue Service records.

Holloway thanked colleagues for their services including his husband, Chad Farnum, “who stepped in to do half-price event planning.”

Earlier in the meeting, the trustees were told that they have $1,000,012 in their bank and investment accounts. That’s down from $3.8 million the group reported having in assets to the IRS in 2020.

Holloway said he had contacted city officials in February about getting financial help and received no response. He tried again in May and got a reply that “the city is working on a response.”

The trustees' moves come after the Coastal Stewards in April vacated their rented office space in an unincorporated county pocket between Ocean Ridge and Briny Breezes.

Boca Raton, which operates the nature center, posted on Facebook that “the city is committed to the mission of Gumbo Limbo and will thoughtfully evaluate future opportunities, including potential partnerships for continuing rehabilitation efforts and repurposing the gift shop space.”

The closure of the rehabilitation center does not affect the three “resident” sea turtles housed in outdoor tanks at Gumbo Limbo, which remain on display and available for public viewing. The city holds the FWC permit for keeping the resident turtles, while the Coastal Stewards were given the permit for giving veterinary care.

Also still open are the city-run turtle nesting and hatchling programs, youth camps and community education, the butterfly garden, boardwalk and observation tower. 

One of 13 ailing sea turtles now being treated at Gumbo Limbo that will  have to be transferred to another facilty after the decision by the Coastal Stewards to end its operations at the nature center.

Boca Raton used to operate all facets of Gumbo Limbo, but it decided in March 2023 to fire its sea turtle rehabilitation coordinator, who held the FWC permit, and her assistant coordinator. The FWC then ordered all ailing sea turtles and resident sea turtles transferred to other facilities.

The terminations came as the city was developing a plan to transfer the rehab unit — including its financial obligations — to the nonprofit Coastal Stewards and a month after Maria Chadam, the unit’s on-call veterinarian, resigned.

Since then, the Coastal Stewards hired veterinarian Loos and two other employees full-time to qualify for a new permit.

The road to the permit was hampered by a series of missteps by both the Coastal Stewards and the city, and it wasn’t until April 26, 2024, that the first new sea turtle patient arrived.

Ann Paton, the group’s onetime grants coordinator, told the trustees that raising money is difficult because everyone thinks the city and not the Coastal Stewards runs the rehab unit.

“As soon as you start to explain it, you can look into the eyes of the person you’re talking to, and within 30 seconds they’ve glazed over because they’ve always believed that that whole magilla, that whole beautiful institution, is one entity,” she said.

The agreement with Boca Raton calls for the Coastal Stewards to give 90 days’ notice if they want to terminate it. Holloway said he hoped the city would end it in 45 days.

Chadam, the former part-time veterinarian at Gumbo Limbo, said she heard last month that Holloway would be leaving by year’s end.

“He's blaming the city of course,” she said.

But city officials, in her view, don't care about the turtles.

“I predict a pickleball court coming to GLNC,” she joked.

This is an updated version of the original story, which was posted at 4:38 p.m. June 13, 2025.

By John Pacenti

Less than 12 hours after Delray Beach Mayor Tom Carney criticized his department, Police Chief Russ Mager resigned on Wednesday.

Mager submitted his resignation on June 4 after serving the city for 29 years. He had long hinted at retiring. His last day will be July 4.

The announcement came after Carney criticized Mager’s department for failing to conclude an internal investigation involving the firefighter who drove a truck into the pathway of a Brightline train.

It also comes the same week that Mager sent an email to commissioners expressing concern about 15 vacancies in the department, as the police union and the city haggle over a new contract. 

“Chief Russ Mager has been a dedicated public servant and an integral part of the Delray Beach Police Department for nearly 30 years,” said City Manager Terrence Moore.

“His leadership, integrity, and commitment to our community have left a lasting impact on our city. We are deeply grateful for his service and wish him all the best in this next chapter.”

Carney struck a positive tone, as well, on hearing of the resignation.

“He’s had a great career with Delray Beach, and it’s been an honor to have him,” he said. “I wish him the best in his future endeavors.”

Carney said he wasn’t criticizing Mager personally at the June 3 commission meeting, saying his comments on the internal investigation were more directed to Moore.

But the mayor wanted to make clear he was unhappy the internal investigation had not been concluded by Mager’s internal affairs unit.

In June 2023, firefighter David Wyatt drove his car into a tree on Atlantic Avenue. Though police suspected a DUI, neither a breathalyzer nor a blood test was taken. Some police officers also turned off their body cameras once they learned Wyatt was a firefighter.

The investigation was looking into police conduct in responding to the crash. Wyatt ended up getting a ticket, but his license was suspended for failing to attend driving class. For nearly two months, he drove a firetruck without a valid license.

It was Wyatt behind the wheel of an aerial ladder firetruck when it went around lowered railroad crossing gates on Dec. 28 and was struck by a Brightline train.

“I don’t know how this city can be satisfied that it has taken as long as it has to investigate that accident on West Atlantic,” Carney said about the 2023 crash investigation. “It’s been over four months.”

Mager has previously said he has had trouble scheduling officers for interviews.

“If I couldn’t get people in to testify, I would suspend them,” Carney said at the June 3 meeting.

Moore told Carney that he would have Mager approach the dais and explain, but the mayor said, “I don’t want to hear from the chief. These are the commissioners’ comments. I think I made my point pretty clear.”

Besides the investigation regarding the Wyatt crash, the department has yet to conclude another into police competency in the investigation that led to the arrest of a code enforcement officer for bribery in October. 

The State Attorney’s Office, though, has declined to file charges because of problems with the case.

UPDATE: The city announced on June 6 that Assistant Chief Darrell Hunter will serve as the interim police chief. Hunter joined the Delray Beach Police Department in 2007.

Preserver is credited with Memorial Day rescue

A new water-rescue ring stands at the Boynton Inlet, thanks to the work of Sarah Perry. Her nonprofit donated the devices in honor of her late son, Aden Perry, whose photo graces each one (at top). Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star  

By Tao Woolfe

 If you’re at the Boynton Inlet or Boca Raton Inlet this summer and you spot an official-looking lifesaving ring mounted near the water, you can thank Aden Perry, an altruistic young man who might still be alive if he’d had access to one of the bright orange flotation devices in 2022.

The life rings, previously installed near waters in Miami-Dade and Broward counties, were added last month to the two South Palm Beach County inlets and to other county locations thanks to a donation from Aden’s mother, Sarah Perry.

Perry has been on a mission since her 17-year-old son drowned trying to rescue a car crash victim on April 20, 2022. She believes that had life rings been available on the final night of her son’s life, Aden — and the man he was trying to save — might not have been sucked down into the waters of a dimly lit pond in Sunrise.

“I would like to see life rings installed by every body of water in Florida,” Perry said, explaining that her organization — the Aden Perry Good Samaritan and Scholarship Fund — has so far donated some 500 life rings to municipalities and counties throughout the state.

The life rings began appearing in Palm Beach County parks in May — National Water Safety Month. In addition, Perry said her organization is in discussions with Boynton Beach and Delray Beach fire departments about adding more ring stations in city-owned waterfront parks.

Dane Kris and his son, Beau, of Deerfield Beach watch Oscar Orellana of Pompano Beach and William Newby of Texas fish near a newly installed life ring station at South Inlet Park in Boca Raton on May 26. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star  

Paddleboarders rescued

The rings are already proving to be worth their salt.

The ones at Ocean Inlet Park in Boynton Beach arrived close to a year after 8-year-old Saul Cerrato-Vasquez of West Palm Beach drowned there, falling into the inlet’s dangerous waters while on an early morning fishing outing with his father on June 13, 2024.

On Memorial Day, one of the new Aden Perry life rings was used during a rescue there.

At about 1 p.m. May 26, Palm Beach County Fire Rescue responded to a 911 call reporting two “distressed” paddleboarders. 

Teams from both the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office Marine Unit and Ocean Rescue pulled the paddleboarders out of the typically strong current, with one of them transported to a hospital. No serious injuries were reported.

A video of the incident, which was sent to Perry, shows one of the Boynton Inlet’s three life rings being used by one of the rescued paddleboarders.

“The ring did exactly what it was supposed to do — help someone who fell into rough water,” Perry said. “This is why we’re doing what we’re doing.”

At a May 1 unveiling ceremony at South Inlet Park in Boca Raton, county rescue personnel performed a mock rescue using a life ring, which is mounted on a stand that is accessible to anyone — whether that person is walking or in a wheelchair, Perry said.

The ring, manufactured by Datrex, which is based in Kinder, Louisiana, is made of low-density polyethylene. The company website describes the material as one that provides “superior life expectancy in the most severe environments.”

The rings cost about $140 apiece, according to the Datrex website.

Aden’s message

Aden Perry drowned while trying to rescue a car crash victim. Photo provided

Perry said she raises the money to pay for life rings from people and companies all across the country. The Aden Perry Foundation partnered with the Palm Beach County Parks & Recreation Department, for example, to place the most recent rings along county waterways.

Each life ring bears a small patch containing a photo of Aden Perry and a message that says: “A hero is a person of distinguished courage and ability, admired for their brave deeds and noble qualities in spite of overwhelming obstacles.”

The rings look like those you might see on cruise ships or cargo vessels, Perry said, adding that when she looked out over the rocks and breaking waves at the Boca Inlet, she was reminded of how quickly water can turn deadly.

“It hits me every time,” she said.

Sarah and Aden Perry had been walking the family dog along a retention pond in Sunrise on the night of the 2022 incident. They saw a driver lose control of his car, crash into a tree, and land in the water. Aden Perry jumped into the pond to help, but he hit a rock and both he and the driver — an 18-year-old man — drowned.

The Carnegie Institute presented Sarah Perry with a posthumous hero medal for her son in August 2023. The organization honors selfless acts of heroism in civilian life in the United States and Canada.

Sarah Perry had begun on her mission to provide life rings and scholarships to Florida parks in February 2023. The first of them were installed along Coral Springs waterways.

“Aden was very bright and wanted to be a neurosurgeon,” Sarah Perry said. “He just wanted to help people. Our foundation’s motto is: ‘It’s great to be brilliant, but it’s more important to be kind.’” 

Boca photographer counsels St. Vincent kids to be caretakers

This sea turtle was saved from mistaking the plastic bag for an edible jellyfish when the photographer grabbed the bag. Photo provided by Ben Hicks

By Ron Hayes

When Denise O’Loughlin, the principal at St. Vincent Ferrer Catholic School in Delray Beach, introduced that morning’s guest speaker, about 100 middle schoolers gathered in Kellaghan Hall welcomed him with polite applause.

When he had finished speaking 45 minutes later, the applause was loud and long, borne on a wave of enthusiasm mere etiquette cannot inspire.

In between, Ben Hicks had taken them underwater to visit sea turtles and jellyfish. He had shown them a Galapagos shark off the coast of Hawaii, a whale shark off Borneo, and a jaguar stalking turtles in Costa Rica.

He had shown them beautiful creatures in their natural habitat, shown them how human beings threaten those creatures, and then what human beings can do to save them.

Hicks, 45, is a nature photographer who travels the world from his home in Boca Raton, bringing back images that have been displayed in the Gumbo Limbo Nature Center in Boca Raton, Loggerhead Marinelife Center in Juno Beach, Manhattan skyscrapers and Central American hotels.

“I like to talk to young people,” he says. “I tell them my background, the stories behind the images, and how I use the images as a voice for environmental awareness.”

On that Wednesday morning in May, Hicks began with a very simple statement.

“I press the button for a living,” he said, and then he filled the big white screen at his back with some of the marvelous images that button-pressing had captured.

When he showed the students a hundred-foot wave curling before a fiery sunrise, they oohed.

And when he revealed that in fact that wave was really only two feet high, shot in only a few feet of water off Boca Raton’s Red Reef Park one morning, they gasped in amazement.

A gray triggerfish is not the cutest of creatures, and to see one close up, swimming straight for Hicks’ camera by the Boca Inlet, brought startled “oohs.”

•

“A lot of times I’ve spent 21/2 hours to get close,” he explained. “I’m in their habitat, so I let them have their space. I spent three days in North Florida waiting for manatees.”

He showed them the manatees those three days had earned him.

“I also use drones,” he said, and took the students high above the curving coastline of Costa Rica, and then had them look down on tiny sea turtles swimming far below in clear Indonesian waters.

The students learned that the beak of a macaw, photographed only a few feet away, can be a beautifully unnerving thing. And they oohed.

And then the screen was filled with an anonymous couple seated at a rustic table, with one of Hicks’ most popular prints, a baby loggerhead sea turtle, hanging on the wall above.

He’d happened on it in a hotel during a trip to Costa Rica last October. The hotel’s owner had found it online and enlarged it.

“He was a little embarrassed when I told him I’d taken the picture,” Hicks said, “but I told him it was all right, and then I signed the photo.”

•

Raised in Venice, Ben Hicks arrived at Florida Atlantic University in 1998 to pursue a degree in audiology. He’d had ear surgery as a child, so that seemed a sensible career.

Six months later, he switched to graphic design. And then he found photography.

“I borrowed my sister’s camera to shoot my surfer friends,” he recalled. “This was freshman year, she was still in high school, and that Christmas I asked for a camera and got a Canon EOS Rebel.”

In college he had a design internship at a local advertising agency and was offered a full-time job when he graduated in 2003. “But I quickly found out the cubicle life was not for me.”

•

The majority of Ben Hicks’ portfolio deals with sea turtles, with many of the photos from near his home, including this loggerhead hatchling shot in Boca Raton. Photo provided by Ben Hicks

Hicks stayed at the agency a year to learn the business, and then he hit the road.

“I packed my truck and drove around the country for three months first, exploring where I wanted to go.”

He surfed the Pacific coast, did freelance work with a Canon 10D, his first digital camera, and found work as a mechanic in a San Diego bike shop.

Back in Boca Raton by 2005, he bought a casing to keep his camera dry underwater, and when a friend invited him to shoot sea turtles, he found his calling.

In 2008, the Friends of Gumbo Limbo, now called the Coastal Stewards, invited Hicks to display his work at their Sea Turtle Day, and he began selling his photos in their gift shop.

Today he has 43 retailers throughout the Southeast.

His work has appeared in both National Geographic magazine and on the Disney Channel.

His cinematography for the PBS documentary Troubled Waters: A Turtle’s Tale won an Emmy, and he was part of the team that created We’re All Plastic People Now, also for PBS, which won another.

Come July he’ll be in Mexico, to surf and photograph more turtles.

And he does all this without scuba diving.

“I had scar tissue from the ear operations, so growing up they said I shouldn’t scuba dive because it would create pressure in my ears,” he said. “I’m pretty much deaf in my right ear, so I only use a mask, snorkel and fins. That keeps it simple. I can walk the beach with my gear.”

 •

“Who knows what jellyfish look like in the water?”

“Translucent,” one student called out.

“Plastic bags,” another said.

“That’s right,” Hicks told them, and now he’d arrived at the real reason he was there that morning.

“Sea turtles eat jellyfish,” he said, “and they can mistake plastic bags for jellyfish.”

On the right side of the screen, a green sea turtle approached a plastic bag on the left.

“Six years ago, it finally happened,” Hicks said. “I’ve been shooting since 2006, and in 2019 I was shooting this turtle and a plastic bag floats in.”

He pressed the button, then grabbed the bag before the turtle could eat it.

“PLASTIC KILLS,” the screen told the students.

“How long does plastic last in the ocean?” he asked. “Anybody know? A minimum of 1,000 years.”

He showed them a photo of a dead 4-inch baby turtle next to hundreds of plastic pieces found inside it.

“Thousands of baby turtles leave our coast every morning in [nesting] season,” he explained, “and plastic is found in their stomach. Most of the time, the plastic breaks down into small pieces that are easier for turtles to eat, unfortunately.”

Ask Hicks for the one shot he longs to get, that single photo that eludes him, and he says it’s not about the shot. It’s about the viewers’ reaction.

“For me, that one shot is the one that will impact the most to bring environmental awareness,” he said. “You don’t know the shot that will really impact people on how they care about the environment, but a lot of people tell me, ‘I’ve never been in the ocean before.’ And then they see a baby turtle.”

“Pick up trash on the beach,” he encouraged the students.  “Carry your water in a reusable bottle. Bring your own straw.

“You guys are the next generation,” he said. “It’s important that you guys know our planet needs your help at all times.”

•

When the long, loud, enthusiastic applause had died down for the man who’s pretty much deaf in his right ear, the students said they had heard him perfectly.

“I heard a lot about how we can take care of the ocean,” said Alora Kuzzy, 12, a seventh-grader from Greenacres. “There are things we can change by what we buy and reusable items and cleaning the beach.”
Dylan Urrutia, 13, a seventh-grader from Delray Beach, said, “He showed me how even a little plastic can hurt a turtle. And how much plastic is in them.

“The photos were really impressive and hard to take, but they told a great story.”

•

Hicks ended his session at St. Vincent Ferrer by taking a selfie with students and staff. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

Last October, Hicks traveled to Tortuguero, Costa Rica, hoping to photograph a jaguar preying on a sea turtle.

“They’re not a threat to humans,” he told the students, “but jaguars roam the beach along the rainforest, where the mother turtles return to lay their eggs on the same beach where they were born.”

One night, Hicks got unlucky. The jaguar appeared, coming toward him out of the jungle, but he couldn’t get a camera out of his backpack fast enough, and went home with only an unfocused, badly lit shot with his iPhone.

“I’ll be back this year,” he promised. 

To see more examples of Ben Hicks’ nature photography, visit benjhicks.com.

By Mary Hladky

The taxable value of Palm Beach County properties has cooled for the second year in a row, heading back to a more typical rate of increase following stratospheric gains in 2022 and 2023.

But even with the smaller value jump, this marks the 14th consecutive year that taxable values have increased in a long rebound from the 2008 Great Recession.

In southeastern Palm Beach County, Ocean Ridge led the way with a 9.9% taxable value increase, closely followed by Briny Breezes’ 9.5%.

Gulf Stream was up 8.5%, Delray Beach 8.3%, Manalapan 7.6%, Boca Raton 7.1%, Highland Beach 6.7%, and Boynton Beach and Lantana, both 6.4%.

South Palm Beach was the only community in the county to see its taxable value drop — down 0.62% — the first time there’s been a year-to-year decrease for a county municipality since 2013. 

South Palm Beach Town Manager Jamie Titcomb said the town’s taxable value — which comes overwhelmingly from aging condos — is finally feeling the impact of the 2021 Surfside condominium collapse and costly new state regulations that came about because of it.

“I think this is the first time we’re actually seeing those numbers reflected in the property appraiser’s assessment,” Titcomb said.

Healthy growth

Still, while County Property Appraiser Dorothy Jacks’ report is not as glowing as in the past few years, other communities had to be pleased with what they were hearing from her office, which will continue to refine the numbers until they are finalized at the end of June.

“While overall taxable value continues to increase, the rate of increase has slowed compared to last year,” Jacks said as she released the June 1 taxable value estimates.

The countywide increase of 7.7% from 2024 to 2025 was down from the previous year’s 10% but is still a healthy rate of growth.

Jacks provided a snapshot of the market to the County Commission on April 22 while her office was still tabulating the data.

She was surprised to see that $5.4 billion in new construction was added to the tax rolls this year on top of $5.1 billion in 2024.

That includes the construction of 2,700 single-family homes, while 22 new apartment complexes with a total of 3,773 units also were built, she said.

The number of home sales declined 3% in 2024, but the median sales price for single-family homes increased 6%, according to Jacks’ office.

Condo market

Similarly, condo sales were down but values increased slightly, Jacks said.

Despite fears that condo values would tank because of changes enacted after the Champlain Towers South collapse in Surfside, Jacks said that is not evident in Palm Beach County. Last year, she had expected a decline in condo values over the next few years.

“We are in good shape in the condo market,” she said. She acknowledged, however, that prospective condo buyers aren’t acting blindly and are looking carefully at the adequacy of reserve accounts and insurance coverage.

In South Palm Beach, Titcomb said his town was hurt because it doesn’t have the mix of residential and commercial properties more typical in county municipalities. The town is almost exclusively condominiums — just under 1,900 condos and only four single-family homes — and most of the condos are old, dating as far back as the 1950s, he said.

Those buildings now must comply with the recent state laws that require inspections and adequate reserve accounts to pay for repairs. That has resulted in higher maintenance fees and special assessments, prompting potential buyers to seek price reductions.

Even with the drop in value, the town’s tax rate may not increase. 

“I have no intention of proposing an increase in the rate,” Titcomb said.

The last time a county municipality faced a drop in its taxable value was 12 years ago. In 2013, values dropped in four municipalities — including Briny Breezes — which were still experiencing the lingering effects of the Great Recession.

“In 2006-2007, values ballooned due to the housing market bubble and in 2008, values in Palm Beach County declined across the board when the housing market crashed,” Becky Robinson, public information officer for the Property Appraiser’s Office, said in an email. “Some municipalities continued to see declines in taxable value year over year through 2013, which was the last year that we saw that. After that, all saw taxable value gains until this year.”

Values affect tax rates

Of the county’s 39 towns and cities, Boca Raton continues to have the highest total taxable value of $40.1 billion, followed by Palm Beach’s $34.4 billion.

Taxable value increases are great news for municipal leaders as they work to finalize their budgets for the new fiscal year that begins on Oct. 1.

Local governments use taxable values to calculate how much property tax money they can expect. They then set their annual budgets and tax rates.

An increase in taxable value means they will collect more money from property owners if they keep their tax rate the same as the previous year.

Unless governments lower their tax rate, homeowners will face higher property tax bills at a time when inflation and rising interest rates are straining family budgets.

To prevent a tax increase entirely, elected officials would have to use the “rolled-back” rate, which state law requires them to calculate. That rate would generate the same amount of property tax revenue as the previous year, not counting taxes that come from new construction.

Municipalities seldom go to the rolled-back rate — though Delray Beach did last year — because they all face rising costs. For example, Boca Raton, a rapidly growing city with resident demand for quality services, usually lowers its tax rate by a minuscule amount, which allows city leaders to say they have cut the rate while still benefiting from increased revenue.

Homeowners with homesteaded properties, however, don’t feel the full brunt of rising property values because state law caps the taxable value increase to 3%. Non-homesteaded properties are capped at 10%.

The taxable value numbers are based on market conditions as of Jan. 1, so they do not reflect any changes in 2025. The final figures will be submitted to the Florida Department of Revenue at the end of this month. Local governments set their property tax rates in September. 

Larry Barszewski contributed to this story.

Lantana’s policy is to leave sargassum alone, but the record amount forecast prompted the town to seek expert input on whether to rake its beach (above). Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

Related: Along the Coast: Record seaweed levels headed our way

By Mary Thurwachter

It’s that time of year again when beachgoers arrive at the Lantana shoreline to find large swaths of seaweed blanketing the sand. It leaves little, if any, space to park a chair or spread a beach blanket.

Called sargassum, the golden-brown seaweed is unsightly, smelly and sends many would-be sunbathers to nearby, more frequently raked beaches such as in Lake Worth Beach or alongside Boynton Beach.

Lantana has been grappling with the problem for years and it’s getting worse.

The town’s long-standing policy has been to limit raking and not to remove sargassum. The thinking has been that seaweed was essential for marine life, kept replacement sand on beaches and provided nutrients to plants on dunes.

But leaders may have different ideas now with newcomer Jesse Rivero on the Town Council. Rivero defeated 21-year incumbent Council member Lynn “Doc” Moorhouse in the March election and is very pro-raking. In April, he asked that the town reconsider its raking policy and for the topic to be put on a future agenda.

Sargassum removal will be an agenda item at the town’s June 9 meeting, but in advance of that, Town Manager Brian Raducci invited Marc Fichtner, the town’s marine safety supervisor, to talk about the problem at the council’s May 12 meeting.

Fichtner is at the beach almost daily, talks to beachgoers and has firsthand knowledge of conditions, Raducci said. And Fichtner has consulted with experts.

“We’re seeing an increase in sargassum at Lantana Beach,” Fichtner said. “It kind of disproportionately affects us because we’ve got 750 feet of beach and you’ve got the high tide mark at 10 to 15 yards wide at a max,” leaving only a thin strip for sunbathers, he said. “We’ve been getting increasing complaints from patrons on the beach. I just wanted to let you all know what I researched and what I came up with.”

Fichtner had spoken with Dr. Brian LaPointe, a research professor at FAU’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, who said 14 million tons of sargassum is expected in the Caribbean this year.

“It’s the most there’s ever been on record,” Fichtner said. “At some point, whether that’s June, July or August, it’s going to hit our beach.”

Fichtner said erosion wouldn’t be much of a problem because the dunes in Lantana are behind the sea walls. What would be a serious concern, however, would be the bacteria that form from rotting sargassum. “One of the biggest things with that is hydrogen sulfide and ammonia produced by decomposing sargassum, which is toxic to animals and people as well,” Fichtner said.

Raking the beach could prevent that, he said.

Sargassum can trap small sea turtles and removing it decreases the mortality of hatchlings, he said.

“Raking also removes litter and pollutants that get caught up in the sargassum, which is one of the big issues we’ve been having,” he said. “We get a lot of trash in the sargassum.

It also increases beach usability, limits insect infestation and prevents small turtles from exposure to toxic gases.”

As long as the town has proper permits and secures the go-ahead from sea turtle experts, the process can be started, Fichtner said. “It’s doable. It’s sustainable. It doesn’t have much of a — or any — negative impact on the beach.”

Mayor Karen Lythgoe said she thought the council was in favor of doing something about the problem.

“It is very controversial,” Lythgoe said. “It’s always been happening, and it always will. There are some downsides to it.”

She asked Raducci to find out what raking would cost on an “as needed basis,” and what kind of disposal would be best.

Vice Mayor Kem Mason said something needs to be done. “This will only get worse,” he said. “It’s been growing for 20 years. The problem is not going away.”

Rivero, a fireman with Palm Beach County Fire Rescue based in Manalapan, said he is 100% for raking as often as weekly during the summer.

“I go walking on the beach regularly,” he said. “It’s very therapeutic and it keeps me in good shape. I just see throughout the season what’s going on and that (not raking) is not doing any good for the beach. Aesthetically and health wise, everything would be so much better for everybody” if the beach were raked during the summer months. 

Riptides at the beach. Strong currents in the inlet. Distractions on State Road A1A.

And, oh yeah, hurricane season has arrived. Can’t you feel them circling, honey?

Be careful out there.

Since A1A is now officially the Jimmy Buffett Memorial Highway, let me quote the great beach bar balladeer: “Fruitcakes in the kitchen, fruitcakes on the street, Struttin’ naked through the crosswalk in the middle of the week.”

I don’t know about fruitcakes, but there is definitely a healthy dose of near-nakedness in the beach crossings along A1A. I guess some driver distractions are more welcome than others.

But I digress.

Let's start with hurricane season. There’s a mass preoccupation with what may be brewing offshore and what category an approaching storm will reach. Ice cream cone debates (one scoop or two) become less important — and far less chilling — than getting the scoop on the cone of a hurricane’s forecast track.

If you’ve never been through a hurricane, just know this: If one hits us, we’re in for a heap of misery.

So, stock up on water and other essentials, make sure your generator is ready if you have one, and get your emergency evacuation plan in order.

Be prepared out there.

And not just for hurricanes.

Say, for instance, you go out for a refreshing dip in the ocean. As best as you can, choose lifeguarded areas when you’re at the beach and pay attention to signs warning of riptides and other dangers.

Be smart out there.

Take advantage of help that’s available to you. At the Boca Raton and Boynton inlets, safety has improved thanks to life ring donations in May from the Aden Perry Foundation. It didn’t take long for one of the new arrivals to serve its purpose, during a Memorial Day rescue at the Boynton Inlet just weeks after it was placed there.

Then there’s the elephant on the island — A1A — with lots of crosswalks in some areas and none in others. Use them when you can.

But please, don’t try to be macho when crossing A1A. If the crosswalk has a button to make lights flash, press it. Also, no one will think less of you if you carry one of those orange flags — provided at some crosswalks — as you cross the road. 

Remember: It’s not about your abilities; it’s about the abilities of the driver coming at you. Have you seen how some people drive lately? Anything that can draw attention to yourself as you cross the street is a good thing.

Last of all, for drivers, I realize you’re facing plenty of distractions that have nothing to do with the amount of clothing worn by beachgoers. Avoid the urge to catch a glimpse of the ocean or see what’s behind the gate of an estate you’re passing.  

Depending on the day, it may feel like it takes all of your energy just to watch out for those ubiquitous A1A bicyclists. Maybe you’re taxed having to drive through a road construction project that has shifting lanes and is loaded with traffic barrels and heavy equipment. 

No matter the circumstance, the advice is the same: Pay attention out there.

— Larry Barszewski,

Editor

By Mary Hladky

One year after discontinuing its commuter pass, Brightline once again is offering one to South Floridians who had used the original pass to get lower-cost fares.

But the rides now cost more, which undoubtedly displeases commuters who had relied on the old pass to afford transportation from homes in one city to jobs in another, or those who want to use the trains frequently for other reasons.

Boca Raton riders were shocked that the pass was eliminated June 1, 2024, telling City Council members this was a “declaration of war against commuters” and a “bait-and-switch.”

A reprieve seemed in the offing on Jan. 10, when Brightline announced that it expected to launch a new commuter pass in March.

But nothing happened until May 6, when the high-speed rail line unveiled new multi-ride passes. However, the 40-ride pass best suited to regular commuters was shockingly more expensive than the original one.

That pass for travel anywhere between Miami and West Palm Beach cost $899, or nearly $22.50 per one-way ride and $45 round trip. The original $399 pass cost $10 one way and $20 round trip. Riders, needless to say, did not like it.

Ten days later, Brightline announced “the return of the commuter pass.” The 40-ride option had been reduced to $599, or just under $15 per ride. There’s a caveat: “Passes are available in limited quantities, while supplies last,” the company said.

The change, Brightline said, was “based on guest feedback” and would “add even more value for our most frequent and loyal riders with deeper savings.”

Brightline officials did not respond directly to a question from The Coastal Star about whether customer complaints had prompted the change.

“We always continue to refine product offerings to try and match the needs of our guests and the demand for the offering,” spokeswoman Ashley Blasewitz said in an email.

Brightline has insisted since its inception that it is not a commuter rail line. The goal was to offer much more profitable long-haul service to and from South Florida and Orlando.

And yet, when Brightline expanded service beyond Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach to build stations in Boca Raton and Aventura, it became a de facto commuter line for many riders.

Brightline de-prioritized those passengers one year ago when it eliminated the old pass and prioritized those going to and from Orlando. Since then, short-haul ridership has declined while long-distance ridership has increased substantially.

April long-distance ridership was up 20% compared to April 2024 and short-distance ridership was down 3%, according to Brightline’s April revenue and ridership report. The report mainly attributed the short-distance decline to the elimination of the original commuter pass.

Another potential problem for commuters is that train schedules are not set in stone. Brightline can eliminate certain trains but leaves open the option of adding them back to the schedule. So a rider who relies on a specific departure time might have to switch to a less convenient time.

“Our schedules change quite regularly depending on demand for certain times/availability of trains,” Blasewitz wrote.

People who have pre-purchased a ticket on a train that is eliminated or whose departure time is changed are notified. 

Seaplanes can’t dock in Lantana — The Lantana Town Council unanimously voted to amend its ordinances May 12 to prohibit the docking or tying up of seaplanes or flying boats — seaplanes with a fuselage designed as a hull, allowing them to operate on water — to any pier or dock in Lantana. The amendment aims to address concerns related to safety, noise, and compatibility with existing land and water uses.

The change was made as part of an ongoing review of regulatory provisions and was reviewed and unanimously approved by the Planning Commission on May 8.

Free smoke detectors — Lantana residents who signed up by last month’s deadline will get free smoke and carbon monoxide alarm installations from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 14 in their homes. To learn more about the program, call 561-616-7034.

Pickleball court survey — The town is conducting a survey to collect feedback on the proposed conversion of the north tennis courts at the corner of Iris Avenue and South Lake Drive to pickleball courts.

Participation will help the town better understand the community’s needs and preferences for court usage. The project involves converting the two existing tennis courts into six pickleball courts.

To take the survey, visit s.surveyplanet.com/kf46cyhl

Budget talks to begin — Lantana will hold its first budget workshop beginning at 5:30 p.m. June 9 in the council chambers at 500 Greynolds Circle.

— Mary Thurwachter

Sydney Michelin will be on a boat as a volunteer medic during the Bahamas-to-Lake Worth Beach Crossing for Cystic Fibrosis this month. She enjoys paddleboarding herself, here at Rutherford Park in Boca Raton. Michelin lost two cousins to cystic fibrosis when she was young. ’The challenges that they faced drove me to stay in the fight against CF,’ she says. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

By Kathleen Kernicky

After moving back to South Florida three years ago, Sydney Michelin was looking for a nonprofit where she could help others, advocate for a meaningful cause and volunteer her skills as a registered nurse.

Michelin, 30, who lives in Boca Raton, found a perfect fit as a volunteer at the ninth annual Crossing for Cystic Fibrosis this month. Participants on paddleboards and surf skis, or in kayaks, canoes and rowboats, will make an 81-mile ocean crossing from Bimini, Bahamas, to Lake Worth Beach, arriving June 22 after some 12 hours of travel following a midnight departure. 

The Crossing benefits CF patients and their families through Piper’s Angels Foundation. The nonprofit was founded by paddler enthusiast Travis Suit after his daughter, Piper, 17, was diagnosed with CF at age 4.

An avid paddleboarder, Michelin will be assigned to a boat that provides medical support to paddlers and their accompanying boaters throughout the journey. It is her second trip as a Crossing volunteer.

“Obviously, it’s an intense physical and mental journey,” she said. “You’re watching for dehydration, exhaustion, injuries. Some of the paddlers have CF, so it’s also a way of being aware of their feelings and making sure you’re communicating with them.

“It can be an emotionally exhausting experience. You’re there to be a calm, steady presence.”

Michelin has a personal connection to cystic fibrosis, a genetic disorder that primarily attacks the lungs and digestive system. Two cousins died of CF when she was young. “The challenges that they faced drove me to stay in the fight against CF,” Michelin said.

Volunteering at the ocean-crossing event and its annual gala at the Kravis Center is a way to “honor my cousins’ memory and support others living with the condition.” 

A nurse for the past six years, Michelin works as an IVF coordinator at CCRM Fertility, a leading fertility treatment center based in Denver.

“I was drawn to fertility nursing because it blends science with compassion and advocacy in a way that is pretty unique. I’ve always been passionate about women’s health. The idea of being able to help someone build a family resonates with me,” Michelin said.

Her work in the medical field dovetails with her support of the CF community. As a fertility nurse she guides patients through the process of genetic testing, which includes screening for CF and other genetic mutations. 

“It made me more aware of the role genetics can play in our life,” she said. “It pushed me to look at my own genetics, given I have CF in my family. It deepened my empathy for the patients and the families.”

Michelin grew up in South Florida, graduating from St. Andrew’s School in Boca Raton before earning a bachelor of science degree in nursing from Queens University in Charlotte, North Carolina. She played soccer in high school and during college.

“That shaped my love for teamwork and staying active,” said Michelin, who enjoys running and paddleboarding. “It’s my way of staying grounded and balanced outside of work.”

Volunteering offers a sense of purpose and connection.

“The Piper’s Angels Foundation came into my life for a reason that’s both a work purpose and personal,” she said. “You never know what people are fighting through. There are people out there who are paddling 81 miles in the ocean and fighting CF while they’re doing it. I look at myself in the mirror and think if they can do it, I can do it. 

“I feel honored to be able to support people who are pushing themselves for such a meaningful cause. I am proud to contribute however I can.” 

For more information on the Crossing for Cystic Fibrosis, visit crossingforcysticfibrosis.com.

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Rodman ‘Rock’ Leas lives on Hypoluxo Island across from the Lantana Nature Preserve. He and his wife — avid birders — enjoy the wildlife preserve’s scenery. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

From Ernest Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea to Jimmy Buffett’s Son of a Son of a Sailor, the romanticism of the job of a fishing captain has become firmly established in American lore. Having lived that life for about 20 years, Rodman “Rock” Leas can testify that the experience is all it’s cracked up to be.

“I loved the ocean,” said Leas, 67, a Hypoluxo Island resident whose fish stories nowadays occur only when he joins friends to charter a boat about once a month.

“I explored the out islands of the Bahamas when nobody could get there, when they were untouched except for the natives. Later on, I heard Jimmy Buffett went to those places and all the yachts followed him there. So, I’m pleased I was able to get to those places when it wasn’t that way.”

Socializing while coming of age around Palm Beach, Leas had plenty of temptations to take a different path.

“There was a bar called the 24 Club, and my friends would start there and would go out the back door and head to the Marakesh to go dancing,” he said. “I knew if I went out the back door I’d be up until 4 in the morning, and if I went out the front door, I’d be up at 6. I always wanted to fish, and it kept me out of trouble.

“That’s why I support the West Palm Beach Fishing Club: Get kids into fishing and they stay out of trouble. It kept me on the straight and narrow, and then it turned into a career.”

Leas earned a degree in seamanship from the Chapman School in Stuart in 1977, started out as a mate and moved up to captain in 1985. As time went by, he became more confident in his ability to help clients catch the big ones.

“I remember running the daughter of the owner of the boat up the coast of this (Bahamian) island to the airport, and told her, ‘The plane isn’t going to get here for about 40 minutes. You want to catch a blue marlin?’ I was serious, and she said sure. I put the baits out, 10 minutes later we hook up, 20 minutes later we were releasing the fish, and the plane (on its way to landing) flies over the boat.

“It was so cool to be in that situation. To be able to offer this girl this opportunity and be serious about it. They say 10,000 people can go blue marlin fishing and 1,000 will catch one, so that’s 9,000 people who come up empty. So, to be able to say, ‘Hey, we’ve got half an hour, would you like to catch one,’ that’s something.”

One thing Leas doesn’t miss about the job was always having to stay on top of the weather forecast.

“The temperature range, precipitation, the wind — especially the wind,” he said. “Even when I was on vacation, I was watching the weather in Palm Beach. It’s so nice not to have to do that.”

A member of the Sailfish Club in Palm Beach, Leas set out to play golf in retirement but found more willing companions in skeet shooting. He has improved significantly and has joined the South Florida Shooting Club in Stuart. He is also an avid birdwatcher and is a member of Audubon Everglades.

Leas has been married to his wife, Maria, for 23 years and has a daughter and a son by an earlier marriage.

— Brian Biggane

Q: Where did you grow up and go to school? How do you think that has influenced you?
A: Born in Chestnut Hill, Pennsylvania, a suburb just north of Philadelphia, and moved to Florida at 15, where I graduated from St. Andrew’s School in Boca Raton. My senior year introduced me to water skiing after school and fishing off the beach. The crystal-clear waters of South Florida and the friendships I made ignited my lifelong love for the sea. I graduated from the Charles S. Chapman School of Seamanship in 1977.

Q: What professions have you worked in? What professional accomplishments are you most proud of?
A: As a sport fishing captain until my retirement in 2005, I had the incredible opportunity to explore the Bahamian islands, fish in prestigious tournaments, and introduce people to the beauty and wonders of the ocean. It was deeply rewarding to help others catch their first billfish or bonefish. One of my proudest moments was being recognized for heroism in rescuing the crew of a capsized boat, a moment where preparation met opportunity. The Palm Beach Civic Association honored me with the Raymond Kunkel Award for heroic action because of my efforts that day.

Q: What advice do you have for a young person seeking a career today?
A: Every truly successful person I’ve met — whether a mason, photographer, lawyer or house painter — had one thing in common: They loved their work. That passion fueled their thriving businesses. My best advice? Show up and give your best effort, and love what you do.

Q: How did you choose your home on Hypoluxo Island?
A: My older brother was selling his house, and I found myself fishing off his dock constantly. When I got married in 1986, the timing was perfect to settle down and start a family here.

Q: What is your favorite part about living on Hypoluxo Island?
A: My neighbors are the best part of living here. Also, this island has so much wildlife, which always fascinated me. My wife and I are avid birders, keeping a close watch on the visitors passing through our feeders on their way to warmer grounds. They mark the seasons for us. Buntings in the fall and cedar waxwings in the spring and the crows of summer.
Living across from the Lantana Nature Preserve is a privilege — we often take walks through its serene paths, hoping to catch glimpses of owls or kingfishers.

Q: What book are you reading now?
A: I’ll admit it, I enjoy beach reads. This winter my daughter nudged me toward a few rom-fantasy novels, filled with flying dragons and daring quests for love. They were fun, but I’ve since returned to my usual reads. I recently finished Mind’s Eye by Douglas E. Richards and am now diving into Perimeter by M.A. Rothman. Action-packed adventures filled with heroes who possess extraordinary abilities to save the world.

Q: What music do you listen to when you want to relax? When you want to be inspired?
A: Naturally, I connect with Jimmy Buffett’s music. Motown and the songs of the ’70s bring back the memories of my early summers. I listen to old radio detective shows when on long drives in my car.

Q: Have you had mentors in your life? Individuals who have inspired your life decisions?
A: I looked up to tournament-winning fishing captains, asking endless questions, eager to learn. One captain taught me the art of varnishing, a skill I still value. My father had a saying: “If you’re allowed to be five minutes late, you’re allowed to be five minutes early.” That perspective shaped my career and much of my life.
I idolized Jackie Morrow. He was an excellent bluefish and sailfish captain out of Palm Beach and he once called me on the radio back around the late ’70s or early ’80s and asked me what I saw in the water. Just the fact that he thought I was a good enough fisherman that he would call and ask if I was getting any bites meant the world to me.
When I feel overwhelmed and unsure of what to do next, I simply focus on doing the next right thing, and somehow everything falls into place.

Q: If your life story were to be made into a movie, who would play you?
A: My father was friends with Sean Connery, so my pick is an easy one.

Q: Who/what makes you laugh?
A: Rodney Dangerfield’s stand-up always got me laughing, and John Oliver never fails to deliver sharp, insightful humor that exposes society’s absurdities.

By John Pacenti

Just like a heart patient with clogged arteries, a bypass will be used to shore up Ocean Ridge fire hydrants that do not have adequate water pressure due to aging, corroding pipes. In the meantime, the town is moving up the timeline on an infrastructure project to replace those pipes.

Boynton Beach Fire Rescue, which services the town, has had crews doing drills in Ocean Ridge to ensure homes in the affected area on Hudson Avenue are protected in case of fire.

The plan, Fire Chief Hugh Bruder told the Town Commission at its June 2 meeting, is to run hoses on one of two nearby lines on State Road A1A that have the standard pressure of 1,500 gallons per minute.

Bruder said the bypass is necessary because hydrant flow tests discovered that inadequate water pressure along Hudson Avenue would severely limit firefighting effectiveness.

“I think we have a plan in place that the residents can feel safe, that if there’s a fire in this area, we’re going to be able to get to it and put it out as quickly as possible,” Bruder said.

Homes in the Pelican Cove development — and those on Ridge Lane, Anna Street, Engle Drive and Edith Street — are in the affected area, according to a map presented by Bruder.

Town Engineer Lisa Tropepe recommended that the town expedite Phase 4 of its ongoing plan to replace aging water pipes, saying that phase would cover most of the affected area of the low-flow fire hydrants. The town has estimated the overall replacement project will cost $39 million and be done over eight years. Commissioners voted to approve $24,000 for a study of the pipes for Phase 4.

“The first step is to collect the data. The first step is to get the survey done right from Ocean Avenue to Corinne (Street),” Tropepe said.

Bruder told commissioners his department is set to receive a new fire boat in August that could also be used in the event of a fire. He said “it’s going to be a critical piece of equipment for us to fight fire from the water.”

By Rich Pollack

Boaters will be less likely to have an encounter with law enforcement come July as the result of Florida’s new Boater Freedom Act.

Currently law enforcement officers can stop boats to conduct safety and marine sanitation inspections without having evidence that a violation of the law has taken place. 

Under the new legislation, officers will need to have reason to believe that vessel safety laws have been violated. A violation of marine safety laws may only be considered a secondary offense. 

State Rep. Peggy Gossett-Seidman, R-Boca Raton, a boater, says that there was a belief, especially among longtime responsible boaters, that some of the inspections were unnecessary.

“The overwhelming feeling is that there were probably too many random stops,” said Gossett-Seidman, who voted for the law. “Now the focus is on real rule breakers.” 

Under the provisions of the law, marine officers will have the authority to inspect for the necessary safety equipment and licenses should a boat be stopped for another violation. 

The required equipment includes engine cut-off switches, personal flotation devices, visual distress signals, fire extinguishers, and backfire flame controls.

The proper number of life vests is one of the priorities, and Florida law also requires that all children under 6 must wear a personal flotation device.

While the effect of the law will not be felt for several months, leaders of at least one local law enforcement agency say they don’t expect major changes in the way the marine unit operates. 

“The new law won’t have a big impact because our focus is on speed reduction education and manatee zone enforcement,” said Highland Beach Police Chief Craig Hartmann. 

The town’s marine unit, he said, will continue to educate boaters on safety requirements and perform inspections if a boat is stopped for speeding or other violations. 

In addition to requiring probable cause before an inspection can take place, the law will require the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to create Florida Freedom Boater decals that can be placed on a boat that has completed a safety inspection. 

The decal, Gossett-Seidman said, will let law enforcement and others know that the operator is a responsible boater. 

“This is very decent legislation,” she said. 

A preliminary design shows a two-story Town Hall. The council also looked at three-story proposals. Rendering provided

By Hannah Spence

The South Palm Beach Town Council decided at its May meeting to construct a two-story Town Hall instead of a three-story one — while facing opposition from a handful of residents who insisted that renovating the existing structure was all that was needed. 

“It doesn’t seem necessary as of right now,” said Olga Serafimova, who was among a group of about 20 residents who attended the regular Town Council meeting on May 16. “Lots of buildings in our area are a lot older than that. Nobody thinks of tearing them down.”

However, according to Town Manager Jamie Titcomb, a new building is necessary — and he said the town has the data to prove it. 

“It has been determined through multiple studies contracted out by the town over several years that the current facilities were beyond useful functionality and condition,” said Titcomb. 

A renovation of the current building would automatically trigger upgrades needed to meet the current Florida Building Code and more recent FEMA regulations. The cost and rehabilitation studies done prior to the pandemic, along with significant code and FEMA regulation changes, make renovation of the current facility untenable, Titcomb said. 

Links to multiple assessment study reports performed on the existing facilities for the town can be viewed on the “Town Hall” tab on the town’s website, www.southpalmbeach.com.

For about five months, CPZ Architects — the company hired to design the project — has held individual meetings with each council member where it discussed matters such as building design and identifying the project scope. 

According to a financial report presented at the May 16 meeting, the town has the $6 million to $6.5 million that has been identified as conceptually needed for the project and that no additional taxation of residents would be required. The available money is taxpayer dollars that have been saved over the years with the intent of putting the money toward the Town Hall.

Council member Sandy Beckett admitted she used to be among those who felt the existing Town Hall could be renovated, but she now agrees with her colleagues that it’s time for a new building.

“First of all, to make it more attractive and more modern,” said Beckett. “Some people expressed we don’t need a place for meetings and such, but we do try to promote community involvement and events, so we certainly want some space for that.”

Joe Barry, vice president of CPZ Architects, said his firm is very early on in the conceptual design. The difference between the two-story and three-story building options was roughly 1,500 square feet, with the two-story model costing roughly a million dollars less than the three-story option.

“Obviously there are going to be some people who aren’t happy with the decision,” said Beckett. “But hopefully, as time goes on and this building evolves and we make other decisions, there will be more input that will help us to design a building that everybody will be happy with.”

About an hour and a half into the meeting, resident Rafael Pineiro said he was appalled that none of the council members had made a single comment about what would happen with the existing turtle sculpture now at Town Hall. 

Mayor Bonnie Fischer, responding about what is to be included or excluded at the new Town Hall, said Pineiro’s “statements are conjecture, not factual, as decisions on these matters have not even been made to date. However, the Town Council has indicated all along that the turtle sculpture and the memorial bricks will be utilized in the new town campus.”

Also, Fischer said, the Town Council will determine all final configurations and amenities of the new Town Hall design that gets bid out to contractors. 

By Steve Plunkett

Gulf Stream residents will face higher water bills this fall before the town switches its water provider from Delray Beach to Boynton Beach.

The town was already braced for Delray Beach’s expected boost from $4.49 per 1,000 gallons to $5.28 per 1,000 come Oct. 1. That long-planned 18% increase was part of Gulf Stream’s motivation to find a new provider.

But in a May 9 letter to Delray Beach city commissioners, Delray Beach City Manager Terrence Moore said Gulf Stream wants service to continue until October 2027 and that his utilities director will “evaluate potential rate adjustments to offset increased service-related expenses.”

No dollar amount was given, and Gulf Stream Town Manager Greg Dunham said neither Moore nor Delray Beach Utilities Director Hassan Hadjimiry had contacted the town with a figure.

When Gulf Stream connects to Boynton Beach’s system, the cost to town customers will plummet to $3.75 per 1,000 gallons under a 25-year agreement the town and the city signed last fall.

But before that can happen, a water main must be laid from Seacrest Boulevard east along Gulfstream Boulevard to a connection just inside the entrance to Place Au Soleil. 

The main will be installed in conjunction with a roadway improvement project on Gulfstream Boulevard, which separates Boynton Beach and Delray Beach. Both cities are sharing the cost of improving the road.

“The most up-to-date estimate for this work to be completed is 18 months,” Dunham told Moore in an April 15 letter. “Thank you for continuing to provide water during this transition period.”

The water arrangement has soured relations between Delray Beach and Gulf Stream somewhat. Dunham has said the town first approached Moore in August 2022 to see if he would lower the customary 25% surcharge that Gulf Stream was paying, the maximum the state allows. 

But Delray Beach said no and encouraged the town to seek a better rate elsewhere. 

“It was only at the Delray Beach city manager’s direction that the town started talking with the city of Boynton Beach and its utility department,” Dunham has said.

As recently as April 12, 2024, Assistant Town Attorney Trey Nazzaro said it looked like Gulf Stream would be renewing its contract with Delray Beach. But six days later Dunham told Moore that the town would switch its water provider to Boynton Beach.

And six days after that, Moore told Gulf Stream officials that the town would have to get off the city’s water system by June 17, 2025.

He also said Gulf Stream “has been on formal notice of the city’s intention not to renew the agreement since May of 2022, if not before.”

At the time, Delray Beach was charging the town $3.81 per 1,000 gallons.

Delray Beach is raising its water rates to pay for building a new water plant. The city says it can only afford a plant large enough to serve its own population, which is expected to grow by 7,000 residents. 

Water payments from the newcomers will more than offset the money Gulf Stream has been paying. 

Delray Beach has supplied Gulf Stream with water since at least 1976. It also provides fire rescue services for the town and until August 2022 handled its building permits.

Along with lower rates, Gulf Stream expects to get better water pressure from Boynton Beach once it connects.