july - News - The Coastal Star2024-03-29T06:53:45Zhttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/feed/tag/julyHealth Advisory - Lake Worth-Kreusler & Boynton Beach Tested Poorhttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/health-advisory-lake-worth-kreusler-boynton-beach-tested-poor2021-07-28T14:09:43.000Z2021-07-28T14:09:43.000ZMary Kate Leminghttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/MaryKateLeming769<div><div class="headline">
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<div class="D_F en_0 M_3gJOe A_6Eb4 C_Z1VRpVF" style="text-align:center;"><strong>Thu, Jul 29 at 4:26 PM</strong></div>
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<div class="yiv2522874304_1mf yiv2522874304_1mj"><strong>The Palm Beach County Health Dept. has issued an updated health advisory for Oceanfront Park indicating satisfactory test results. To learn more, please click <a href="http://palmbeach.floridahealth.gov/newsroom/2021/07/healthy-beaches-all-test-satisfactory-7-29-21.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</strong></div>
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<p class="date" style="text-align:center;"><strong>July 27, 2021</strong></p>
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<p><span class="fontstyle2"><strong><span class="fontstyle0">Palm Beach County, FL—</span></strong><span class="fontstyle0">Florida Department of Health Palm Beach County has </span><strong><span class="fontstyle0">ISSUED A HEALTH ADVISORY for Lake Worth-Kreusler and Boynton Beach </span></strong><span class="fontstyle0">after recent sampling showed bacterial levels in the water to be more than 71 colonies per milliliter of marine water putting it in the poor range.</span></span></p>
<p><span class="fontstyle2"><span class="fontstyle0">Causes of the elevated level that prompted the advisory are unknown but heavy rains, high surf, and heavy traffic can contribute. Generally poor ratings are associated with wildlife, heavy recreational usage, high surf from high winds and high tides or runoff following heavy rains. The DOH-Palm Beach always encourages rinsing with fresh water after swimming in any natural body of water.</span><br style="font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;" /></span></p>
<p>Health department staff samples the beach waters at 13 locations from Boca Raton to Jupiter for enterococci as recommended by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the EPA. The samples are laboratory tested for concentrations and a value assigned to indicate poor, moderate or good ranges.</p>
<p>Beach water quality for Palm Beach County and throughout the state can be found at <a href="http://palmbeach.floridahealth.gov/index.html">palmbeach.floridahealth.gov</a> and click on "beach water quality".</p>
<p>*A Poor rating may result in a resampling event to confirm poor conditions; otherwise a Health Advisory will be issued immediately. These indicate that contact with the water at this site may pose increased risk of infectious disease, particularly for susceptible individuals</p>
<p><strong>Beach Action Values (BAV) Enterococcus Results Description</strong></p>
<p>Date of Sample 07-26-2021<br /> </p>
<table style="height:838px;" border="1" width="428">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width:30.42px;">
<p><strong>Site</strong></p>
</td>
<td style="width:78.58px;">
<p><strong>Name</strong></p>
</td>
<td style="width:56.26px;">
<p><strong>City</strong></p>
</td>
<td style="width:90.9px;">
<p><strong>Enterococci</strong></p>
</td>
<td style="width:99.81px;">
<p><strong>Water Quality</strong></p>
</td>
<td style="width:94.34px;">
<p><strong>Status</strong></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width:30.42px;">
<p>1</p>
</td>
<td style="width:78.58px;vertical-align:top;">
<p><span style="color:#000000;">Dubois Park</span></p>
</td>
<td style="width:56.26px;vertical-align:top;">
<p><span style="color:#000000;">Jupiter</span></p>
</td>
<td style="width:90.9px;">
<p style="text-align:center;"><span style="color:#000000;"><10<br /> </span></p>
</td>
<td style="width:99.81px;">
<p><span style="color:#000000;">Good<br /> </span></p>
</td>
<td style="width:94.34px;"><span style="color:#000000;">Satisfactory</span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width:30.42px;">
<p>2</p>
</td>
<td style="width:78.58px;vertical-align:top;">
<p>Jupiter Beach Park</p>
</td>
<td style="width:56.26px;vertical-align:top;">
<p>Jupiter</p>
</td>
<td style="width:90.9px;">
<p style="text-align:center;"><span style="color:#000000;"><10</span></p>
</td>
<td style="width:99.81px;">
<p><span style="color:#000000;">Good</span></p>
</td>
<td style="width:94.34px;">
<p><span style="color:#000000;">Satisfactory</span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width:30.42px;">
<p>3</p>
</td>
<td style="width:78.58px;vertical-align:top;">
<p>Carlin Park</p>
</td>
<td style="width:56.26px;vertical-align:top;">
<p>Jupiter</p>
</td>
<td style="width:90.9px;">
<p style="text-align:center;"><span style="color:#000000;">20</span></p>
</td>
<td style="width:99.81px;">
<p><span style="color:#000000;">Good</span></p>
</td>
<td style="width:94.34px;">
<p><span style="color:#000000;">Satisfactory</span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width:30.42px;">
<p>4</p>
</td>
<td style="width:78.58px;vertical-align:top;">
<p>Riviera Beach</p>
</td>
<td style="width:56.26px;vertical-align:top;">
<p>Riviera Beach</p>
</td>
<td style="width:90.9px;">
<p style="text-align:center;"><span style="color:#000000;"><10</span></p>
</td>
<td style="width:99.81px;">
<p><span style="color:#000000;">Good<br /> </span></p>
</td>
<td style="width:94.34px;">
<p><span style="color:#000000;">Satisfactory</span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width:30.42px;">
<p>5</p>
</td>
<td style="width:78.58px;vertical-align:top;">
<p>Phil Foster</p>
</td>
<td style="width:56.26px;vertical-align:top;">
<p>Riviera Beach</p>
</td>
<td style="width:90.9px;">
<p style="text-align:center;"><span style="color:#000000;"><10</span></p>
</td>
<td style="width:99.81px;">
<p><span style="color:#000000;">Good<br /> </span></p>
</td>
<td style="width:94.34px;">
<p><span style="color:#000000;">Satisfactory</span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width:30.42px;">
<p>7</p>
</td>
<td style="width:78.58px;vertical-align:top;">
<p>Palm Beach Municipal</p>
</td>
<td style="width:56.26px;vertical-align:top;">
<p>Palm Beach</p>
</td>
<td style="width:90.9px;">
<p style="text-align:center;"><span style="color:#000000;"><10<br /> </span></p>
</td>
<td style="width:99.81px;">
<p><span style="color:#000000;">Good<br /> </span></p>
</td>
<td style="width:94.34px;">
<p><span style="color:#000000;">Satisfactory</span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width:30.42px;">
<p>8</p>
</td>
<td style="width:78.58px;vertical-align:top;">
<p>Lake Worth- Kreusler</p>
</td>
<td style="width:56.26px;vertical-align:top;">
<p>Lake Worth</p>
</td>
<td style="width:90.9px;text-align:center;"><span style="color:#ff0000;">97</span></td>
<td style="width:99.81px;"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Poor</span></td>
<td style="width:94.34px;">
<p><span style="color:#ff0000;">Advisory</span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width:30.42px;">
<p>9</p>
</td>
<td style="width:78.58px;vertical-align:top;">
<p>Ocean Inlet Park</p>
</td>
<td style="width:56.26px;vertical-align:top;">
<p>Ocean Ridge</p>
</td>
<td style="width:90.9px;">
<p style="text-align:center;"><span style="color:#000000;"><10</span></p>
</td>
<td style="width:99.81px;">
<p><span style="color:#000000;">Good<br /> </span></p>
</td>
<td style="width:94.34px;">
<p><span style="color:#000000;">Satisfactory</span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width:30.42px;">
<p>10</p>
</td>
<td style="width:78.58px;vertical-align:top;">
<p>Boynton Beach</p>
</td>
<td style="width:56.26px;vertical-align:top;">
<p>Ocean Ridge</p>
</td>
<td style="width:90.9px;">
<p style="text-align:center;"><span style="color:#ff0000;">24,196</span></p>
</td>
<td style="width:99.81px;">
<p><span style="color:#ff0000;">Poor</span></p>
</td>
<td style="width:94.34px;">
<p><span style="color:#ff0000;">Advisory</span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width:30.42px;">
<p>12</p>
</td>
<td style="width:78.58px;vertical-align:top;">
<p>Sandoway-Delray Beach</p>
</td>
<td style="width:56.26px;vertical-align:top;">
<p>Delray Beach</p>
</td>
<td style="width:90.9px;">
<p style="text-align:center;"><10</p>
</td>
<td style="width:99.81px;">
<p>Good</p>
</td>
<td style="width:94.34px;">
<p>Satisfactory</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width:30.42px;">
<p>13</p>
</td>
<td style="width:78.58px;vertical-align:top;">
<p>Spanish River</p>
</td>
<td style="width:56.26px;vertical-align:top;">
<p>Boca Raton</p>
</td>
<td style="width:90.9px;">
<p style="text-align:center;"><10</p>
</td>
<td style="width:99.81px;">
<p>Good</p>
</td>
<td style="width:94.34px;">
<p>Satisfactory</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width:30.42px;">
<p>14</p>
</td>
<td style="width:78.58px;vertical-align:top;">
<p>South Inlet Park</p>
</td>
<td style="width:56.26px;vertical-align:top;">
<p>Boca Raton</p>
</td>
<td style="width:90.9px;">
<p style="text-align:center;"><10</p>
</td>
<td style="width:99.81px;">
<p>Good</p>
</td>
<td style="width:94.34px;">
<p>Satisfactory</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width:30.42px;">
<p>15</p>
</td>
<td style="width:78.58px;vertical-align:top;">
<p>Lantana Beach</p>
</td>
<td style="width:56.26px;vertical-align:top;">
<p>Lantana</p>
</td>
<td style="width:90.9px;">
<p style="text-align:center;"><span style="color:#000000;"><10</span></p>
</td>
<td style="width:99.81px;">
<p><span style="color:#000000;">Good</span></p>
</td>
<td style="width:94.34px;">
<p><span style="color:#000000;">Satisfactory</span></p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p><strong> United States Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) </strong>recommended criteria for enterococci is:</p>
<p><strong>Good</strong> = 0-35 enterococci per 100 milliliters of marine water</p>
<p><strong>Moderate</strong> = 36-70 enterococci per 100 milliliters of marine water</p>
<p><strong>Poor</strong> = 71 or greater enterococci per 100 milliliters of marine water 36 or greater enterococci per 100ml of marine water as a geometric mean over a five-week period.</p>
<p>An Advisory is issued for a beach that samples in the "Poor" range of the EPA standards. <strong>This should be considered a potential health risk to the bathing public.</strong></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><strong>####</strong></p>
<p><strong>About the Florida Department of Health</strong></p>
<p>The department, nationally accredited by the <a title="Opens in a new window" href="https://www.phaboard.org/" target="_blank">Public Health Accreditation Board</a>, works to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts.</p>
<p>Follow us on<a title="Opens in a new window" href="https://www.facebook.com/FLDepartmentofHealth?utm_source=article" target="_blank"> Facebook</a>, <a title="Opens in a new window" href="https://www.instagram.com/florida.health/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> and Twitter at <a title="Opens in a new window" href="https://twitter.com/HealthyFla?utm_source=article" target="_blank">@HealthyFla</a>. For more information about the Florida Department of Health please visit <a href="http://www.floridahealth.gov/index.html">www.FloridaHealth.gov</a>.</p>
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</div></div>Beaches closed for holiday weekendhttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/beaches-closed-for-holiday-weekend2020-07-01T15:37:33.000Z2020-07-01T15:37:33.000ZThe Coastal Starhttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/TheCoastalStar<div><p><strong>By Charles Elmore </strong></p>
<p>An emergency order puts beaches out of bounds for the Fourth of July weekend across Palm Beach County.<br /> The county’s order to temporarily close beaches joined similar decrees in Miami-Dade and Broward counties aimed at avoiding large gatherings during the three-day weekend to slow the spread of COVID-19.<br /> Palm Beach County Mayor Dave Kerner told media outlets it would be “highly irresponsible” to keep beaches open and said the county’s priority remains “public health first and foremost.”<br /> Beaches are set to close from 12:01 a.m. Friday, July 3, until 11:59 p.m. Sunday, July 5, reopening Monday.<br /> The order applies to “all public, municipal and private beaches,” according to a county statement.<br /> Individual violators face potential civil fines of $25 for a first offense, with subsequent offenses drawing $50 to $100, according to the order.<br /> Restaurants and retail establishments within beach parks are allowed to remain open if they follow rules on mandatory masks and social distancing, officials said.<br /><br /></p></div>Along the Coast: Lantana votes to postpone fireworks, joining other municipalities in exercising cautionhttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/along-the-coast-lantana-votes-to-postpone-fireworks-joining-other2020-07-01T14:54:29.000Z2020-07-01T14:54:29.000ZThe Coastal Starhttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/TheCoastalStar<div><p style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960949471,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960949471,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" alt="7960949471?profile=original" /></a><em>Crowds that gather on the Ocean Avenue Bridge and its fishing pier helped leaders decide to postpone this year’s fireworks in Lantana. <strong>2019 photo by Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star</strong></em></p>
<p></p>
<p><strong>By Mary Thurwachter</strong></p>
<p>Lantana reversed course during the June 22 Town Council meeting, postponing its Fourth of July fireworks show. Until then, the town had planned to have the pyrotechnics display from a barge in the Intracoastal Waterway next to Bicentennial Park but without the traditional celebration in the park.<br />With the coronavirus pandemic lurking, one by one towns and cities up and down the coastline have been putting the kibosh on fireworks.<br />Boca Raton, Delray Beach, Deerfield Beach, Boynton Beach, Lake Worth Beach and North Palm Beach canceled or postponed fireworks and other Independence Day gatherings for fear of community spread of COVID-19. Like cities nationwide, they have been advised by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention not to hold events with large crowds.<br />Since March, council members in Lantana said they wanted the $30,000 Zambelli fireworks show to go on, even if the party in the park wouldn’t be part of it. Residents were being encouraged to watch from their homes. All town parks in the vicinity — including Sportsman’s Park across the street from Bicentennial; Lyman Kayak Park just around the corner; and the beach, a short hike over the bridge — would be closed, blocked off with police officers standing guard. <br />Then on June 29, Palm Beach County Mayor Dave Kerner announced that all beaches — including Lantana’s — would be closed for the July 4 weekend, as well.<br />Before making the decision to postpone fireworks, Lantana officials were asking people not to cram together to watch the show from the bridge — or anywhere.<br />But Police Chief Sean Scheller said keeping people off the bridge — historically a favorite spot for watching the fireworks — would be a problem. He said he was concerned about crowd control.<br />He wasn’t the only one worried about unruly crowds. Dave Arm, president of the Lantana Chamber of Commerce, begged the Town Council to cancel the fireworks. He said he feared mayhem on East Ocean Avenue, the town’s downtown restaurant and shopping district.<br />“Considering what’s going on in the country, where people are using different circumstances as an excuse to make trouble, I don’t want to see windows broken from my member businesses on Ocean Avenue,” Arm said. “I don’t want to see people hurt. And I don’t want to see Lantana in the national news because we were stupid enough to have fireworks.”<br />Arm said it would be “insane and irresponsible” to have fireworks this year.<br />Council member Malcolm Balfour, who made the motion to postpone fireworks until a later date — perhaps New Year’s Eve or next April for the town’s centennial celebration — said he thought fireworks should not be held, especially with the number of COVID-19 cases steadily increasing.<br />Vice Mayor Lynn Moorhouse said he couldn’t second the motion for postponement — the thought of it made him sad, he said — but inevitably he voted in favor of delaying fireworks, as did all council members.</p>
<p><br /><strong>Fireworks a go in WPB</strong></p>
<p>One city you can find fireworks is West Palm Beach. The Flagler event at the waterfront will not happen this year. Instead, fireworks will be launched from two different and undisclosed north and south locations so as many people as possible can see them. <br /> Residents are encouraged to have a “POP” — a party on the porch. The city created a series of videos to help patriots party at home. Content includes how-to videos for recipes, decorations and games. <br /> While many will be able to see the fireworks from their homes, anyone can watch by tuning into WPBF 25. Through a special partnership, the Hearst Television-owned ABC affiliate will broadcast the fireworks live to everyone in the station’s viewing area. Hubbard Radio’s seven West Palm Beach stations will broadcast fireworks music in concert with the event.<br /> West Palm Beach Mayor Keith James said that, while Fourth of July plans might look a little different, they are no less significant for the city. “In fact, I’d say they are more significant this year than in years past,” James said. “We are celebrating the culmination of 125 years strong and pushing through this pandemic together.”<br /> Residents and others from the area are encouraged to partake in a full afternoon of at-home entertainment, with the 15-minute show as the grand finale. Before the fireworks show begins, residents are encouraged to support local businesses by ordering takeout through West Palm Beach Eats, a restaurant delivery service, and stage their POPs. The DIY Event Guide (<a href="http://www.wpb.org/government/community-events/diy-event-guide">www.wpb.org/government/community-events/diy-event-guide</a>) content will help people host their own events, using common and inexpensive household items. The videos were released on June 14. People are encouraged to post pictures and videos of their POPs to social media, using #WPBTogether, to join the virtual DIY Fourth of July celebration.</p>
<p><br /><strong>Other holiday plans</strong></p>
<p>Delray Beach: Although the city canceled its fireworks display on the beach and Atlantic Avenue festivities leading up to the main event, some family-friendly festivities remain. They include: adorning houses and yards with red, white and blue decorations to compete for the Most Patriotic House honor; submitting favorite patriotic family or pet photos, and family recipes for the Fourth of July Digital Scrapbook; and joining the first virtual Independence Day Parade on July 4. For more ideas, visit <a href="http://www.delraybeachfl.gov/our-city/things-to-do/4th-of-july">www.delraybeachfl.gov/our-city/things-to-do/4th-of-july</a>.<br /> Boca Raton: The Recreation Services Department will present “Red, White & Blue in Boca,” a weeklong virtual celebration ending on July 4, on the Boca Raton Recreation social media pages and the city’s YouTube channel. <br /> “In lieu of our annual Fabulous Fourth of July Celebration, we will be celebrating virtually as a community all week long,” said Monika Amar, community events coordinator. “Families are welcome to join in on any of the activities to create their own fabulous and festive Fourth of July holiday from home.” <br /> Throughout the week, several patriotic-themed videos will be posted, including how-tos, festive craft and game ideas to do at home, backyard grilling tips, recipe and drink tutorials and much more. A few of the features include: the Children’s Science Explorium with a fireworks experiment; Mizner Park’s Cielito Artisan Pops with a patriotic popsicle demo; Tomasso’s with a patriotic pizza how-to; and blogger Heather McMechan from Local Mom Scoop with a recipe for making a Star Spangled Watermelon Salad with your kids. <br /> For details, follow Boca Raton Recreation on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.<br /> Boynton Beach: The city postponed its fireworks celebration, which was supposed to include city centennial-related events during the day. The fireworks will be rescheduled when Zambelli, the fireworks supplier, has time to suggest options to the City Commission. Stay tuned.<br /> Lake Worth Beach: The city postponed its Fourth of July fireworks and celebration until Labor Day.</p></div>Along the Coast: Delray Beach cancels fireworks; Boynton opts for postponementhttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/along-the-coast-delray-beach-cancels-fireworks-boynton-opts-for-p2020-05-20T16:30:00.000Z2020-05-20T16:30:00.000ZThe Coastal Starhttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/TheCoastalStar<div><p><strong>By Jane Smith</strong></p>
<p></p>
<p>Fourth of July celebrations with fireworks, music and vendors will not take place this year in Delray Beach and Boynton Beach, their leaders decided May 19.</p>
<p><br /> “None of us are excited about canceling it,” said Sam Metott, Delray Beach Parks and Recreation director.</p>
<p><br /> The fireworks and barge would have cost an estimated $70,000, he said.</p>
<p><br /> Delray Beach commissioners asked for a smaller scale event that would not draw such a large crowd. City staff will prepare suggestions for discussion at the June 2 commission meeting.</p>
<p>Boca Raton also has decided to cancel its July 4 celebration. The event was scheduled to take place at Countess de Hoernle Park.</p>
<p>"The collective health and safety of our community and staff are the priorities driving this tough decision," the city said on its website.</p>
<p>Boynton Beach commissioners decided to postpone the fireworks display, with staffers to return with ideas on July 15. The fireworks cost $62,000, City Manager Lori LaVerriere told commissioners, with a five-year contract giving flexibility on when they may be used.</p>
<p><br /> Lantana will shoot off fireworks on July 4, but it will close Bicentennial Park to prevent crowds from gathering.</p>
<p><br /> Cities nationwide have been advised by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention not to hold events with large crowds, to limit the spread of the novel coronavirus.</p>
<p><br /> CDC guidelines also call for people to keep a social distance of 6 feet, to wear face masks when they are closer, and to sanitize surfaces.</p>
<p><br /> The current site of Boynton Beach’s fireworks at Intracoastal Park was jammed with 6,000 attendees in 2019, LaVerriere said.</p>
<p><br /> Boynton Beach had planned to celebrate its centennial on July 4. In addition to the fireworks, the city wanted to set up a temporary postal branch on site for residents to write and send postcards to friends and families who live out of town.</p></div>