The Coastal Star was honored by the Florida Press Club with 17 overall awards, including five first-place honors, announced Jan. 31 during a ceremony in West Palm Beach. Staff photo/The Coastal Star
By Henry Fitzgerald
The Coastal Star won 17 awards
manalapan (689)
Turtle time is coming, so let’s talk elections.
March marks the start of the annual sea turtle season, when beach lighting dims and stakes marking buried turtle nests begin sprouting along the shoreline.
It’s also municipal election season, when loca
By John Pacenti
The Manalapan Town Commission has approved a broad update to its building-related fee schedule, the first major overhaul since 2010, following staff recommendations that existing fees no longer cover the true cost of operations and le
Manalapan town commissioners have signed off on a 10-year contract that will overhaul the town’s police technology — from body-worn cameras and tasers to in-car video and license plate recognition (LPR) cameras.
Police Chief Jeff Rasor said the depar
ABOVE: Manalapan residents (l-r) Al Young, Bunny Young, Jill Stromberg, Jack Elkins, Shirley Saleeby, Patricia Knobel and Bear enjoy the festivities as Manalapan welcomes the new season. BELOW: Rick and Suzi Goldsmith. Photos by Tim Stepien/The Coast
Manalapan’s long-running battle over the Boynton Inlet transfer plant that sends sand from the town’s side to Ocean Ridge is heading toward a four-day administrative hearing scheduled for June 2, the Town Commission was told at its January meeting.
T
Republican Jon Maples and Democrat Emily Gregory will face off in a special election March 24 to replace former Rep. Mike Caruso in the Florida House.
That election comes after the current annual legislative session is expected to end.
Maples, a fin
Chefs at Garlic Fest will offer free demonstrations, such as this one at a past festival, at noon both days at The Clove, site of garlic-themed food and beverage. The Clove’s premium bar will offer cocktails such as jalapeño margaritas, garlic bloody
Lane closures are planned this week on State Road A1A at the Boynton Inlet bridge as part of a state transportation project to repair, paint and seal the bridge. Shown here is corrosion on the underside of the bridge. Photos provided
Motorists
Higher sea walls may be needed in future; will residents agree?
Robert Stalzer, the tennis pro at Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa, helps a hotel guest cross the flooded road in front of the resort after rains in late 2024. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star
B
A special statehouse election primary will be held Jan. 13 for the District 87 seat that was vacated when former state Rep. Mike Caruso resigned his position after being appointed Palm Beach County’s clerk of court and comptroller by Gov. Ron DeSanti
Manalapan Town Manager Eric Marmer told commissioners at their Dec. 9 meeting that the town will save nearly $150,000 a year while locking in predictable garbage collection rates and expanding services to residents.
The Town Commission recently appro
The recently built estate at 110 Churchill Way in Point Manalapan sold for more than $17 million, topping the neighborhood’s previous best by more than $2 million. Photo provided
By Christine Davis
A driver crossing the Ocean Avenue bridge from Lanta
By John Pacenti
Manalapan commissioners will take legal action to ensure their concerns about beach erosion and Palm Beach County’s sand transfer plant at the Boynton Inlet are addressed, voting to hire a seasoned environmental attorney to represent
Manalapan will have no municipal election in March because the candidates for the open seats qualified without opposition.
The town has confirmed that the following individuals qualified for office in November as required, and that no one else filed
Candace Friis and her son, Phil Friis, have been part of the five highest-priced home sales in Gulf Stream in 2024 and 2025, including a town-record $39 million deal. Photo provided
By Christine Davis
When it comes to knowing the Gulf Stream real es
A special election to fill the seat of former state Rep. Mike Caruso will be held March 24, four days after the Florida Legislature is scheduled to adjourn for 2026. In setting the timetable, Gov. Ron DeSantis also said a primary election for the Hou
Town challenges state’s sand transfer plant plan — When it comes to the sand transfer plant in Manalapan, it might as well be a four-letter word. Many in town blame the plant at the Boynton Inlet for depleting the town’s beaches as it sends sand sout
Would-be candidates for the upcoming March 10 municipal elections have to qualify to be on the ballot by filing for the office they’re seeking with their town clerk or city clerk, and meeting the necessary requirements. The qualifying periods for the
Contractor failed to curtail invasive pests, town says
This AI image was displayed at Manalapan Town Hall during a discussion about using a Police Department sharpshooter to cull iguanas. The town’s mascot is a heron. Image provided
By John Pacenti
