September 2026
Serving Hypoluxo Island, South Palm Beach, Manalapan, Ocean Ridge, Briny Breezes, Gulf Stream and Coastal Delray Beach
Amendment 3
Volume 19 Issue 9
Delray Beach
Nonprofits on edge over threat to support
Patrons jam the bar for happy hour dinner and drinks in late August at Barcelona Wine Bar in Sundy Village. Photos by Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star
Voters could make it harder to get municipal funds By Rich Pollack It was a good day for the eight nonprofit organizations that came before the Delray Beach City Commission in August seeking a renewal of funds to help them keep doing their work. Commissioners, after hearing presentations from organizations including Arts Garage, Achievement Centers for Children and Families, Spady Museum and the Delray Beach Public Library, agreed to spend more than $3 million to support the eight organizations and the services they provide to the community. While representatives from the nonprofits were pleased to receive the grants, they left with a cloud of uncertainty in the air, knowing that there may be far less money available next year — if any — should voters approve a state constitutional amendment that would expand homestead exemptions and leave municipalities with far less revenue. Amendment 3, which goes before Florida voters in November, would expand the current $51,411 homestead exemption to $150,000 next year and $250,000 the following year. Already local governments are looking at ways to make up revenue losses should the amendment get the 60% voter approval needed for passage. Nonprofit organizations are also keeping a close eye on the referendum, knowing that local governments will prioritize core services if belts need to be tightened. “If cities are faced with having to make spending cuts, discretionary grants and See NONPROFITS on page 16
Sundy Village channels city’s past — and its future More late-night options coming in renovated historic buildings By Jan Norris
Van Leeuwen Ice Cream is among restaurants now open or set to open in the refurbished historical buildings on Swinton Avenue.
With the openings of Double Knot this summer and Barcelona Wine Bar earlier this year, the $21 million Sundy Village has more downtown Delray Beach diners making their way westward on the city's popular Atlantic Avenue. The 7-acre project is transforming the historic area southwest of the Atlantic Avenue and Swinton Avenue intersection with restaurants, retail and office space — anchored by the historic Sundy House, the project’s namesake, on its southern border. The project could also spur an expansion of the bustling downtown’s entertainment district. Sundy Village’s current businesses would benefit from See SUNDY on page 20
Lantana/South Palm Beach
Towns fight over who controls Intracoastal dock permitting By Patrick Sherry and Larry Barszewski The waters between Lantana’s Hypoluxo Island and the town of South Palm Beach are roiling with a dispute between the two towns that could be heading to court over which town controls dock permitting in the channel. Lantana officials say they may sue their neighbor, with whom they thought they had good relations, over South Palm Beach’s effort to exert control over the permitting of docks for that town’s condos in the channel that Lantana says it has PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID WEST PALM BCH FL PERMIT NO 4595
jurisdiction over. The South Palm Beach Town Council at its Aug. 11 meeting approved an ordinance that affirms its permitting jurisdiction over docks, sea walls, piers and other waterfront structures within its boundaries. That led the Lantana Town Council to call a special meeting on Aug. 17 because it says those structures would be built in water it controls, so permits for those structures must be issued by Lantana. The new Intracoastal Waterway fight — which has its origins in a 70-year-old
dispute between the two towns — has been brewing since last September, when Lantana approved a permit for a dock construction at the Concordia West condos in South Palm Beach, only to rescind that permission in November. The construction of the dock there continued and Lantana has been seeking since then to have the new structure demolished. Lantana Town Attorney Max Lohman argued that the only waters South Palm Beach has jurisdiction over are on See DOCKS on page 23
This South Palm Beach dock is the source of a dispute with Lantana, which says it controls the water. Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star
A1A cameras
Anonymous donor’s $1 million gift a gamechanger for Lake Worth Playhouse. Page AT5
Area police say state ban won't stop them from being used.
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Hurricane Alley
More than books
’Living library’ takes on whole new meaning in Lantana.
Page AT1
Boynton eatery to close for months as new home is built.
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2 Editor's Note/Coastal Star
The COASTAL STAR
September 2026
Coastal Star Publisher Jerry Lower publisher@thecoastalstar.com Editor Larry Barszewski larry@thecoastalstar.com
Advertising Managers Candace Etzler, Barry Franklin, John W. Jones and Jay Nuszer sales@thecoastalstar.com
Ownership Chris Bellard, Mary Kate Leming, Jerry Lower, Harvey Oyer III, Carolyn & Price Patton
News Operations Tracy Allerton Brad Betker Henry Fitzgerald Ron Hayes Dave Meeks Ruth Leming Rachel O’Hara Victoria Preuss Michelle Quigley Tim Stepien Michele Smith Margot Street
www.thecoastalstar.com The Coastal Star is a monthly newspaper with two editions serving Hypoluxo Island, South Palm Beach, Manalapan, Ocean Ridge, Briny Breezes, Gulf Stream and coastal Delray Beach; Highland Beach and coastal Boca Raton. ©2008-2026
Managing Editors Steve Plunkett news@thecoastalstar.com Mary Thurwachter news@thecoastalstar.com ArtsPaper editor Greg Stepanich gstepanich@pbartspaper.com Advertising Director Chris Bellard sales@thecoastalstar.com
Gregg Strandberg, a volunteer mentor at Boca Helping Hands, stands outside his home in Highland Beach. As a retired CEO, he connects students in vocational training with professionals in their fields. ’What stands out about Gregg is his patience, compassion and commitment to meeting each student where they are,’ says Trina Chin Cheong, director of Workforce Development at Helping Hands. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star
Send letters, opinions and news tips to news@thecoastalstar.com The Coastal Star 4600 N. Ocean Blvd. Suite 102 Boynton Beach, FL 33435 561-337-1553
Help us shine a light on our community. Donate online: https://supportfloridajournalism.com/newspaper/the-coastal-star/
Editor’s Note
S
Summer’s not ready to lower the heat just yet
ummer in South Florida seems to take forever to end. Kids may be back in school, the autumnal equinox may be just a few weeks away and Halloween pop-up stores may already be open for business, but summer’s muggy, sweltering days still cling to us like a T-shirt drenched in sweat after just a few minutes of yardwork — with no relief in sight. We’ve endured the heat and sargassum, kept a wary eye out for weather systems working their way through the tropics, and slathered on sunscreen by the bucket. Come October, the sargassum may have ebbed, but we’ll still be dealing with the heat and humidity — and we’ll still be looking out for hurricanes. They should give out merit badges to those of us who have soldiered through summer’s miserable weather and not sought the refuge of a northern vacation (though we’re not in the same league as the pioneers of a century ago, who managed to survive summers here without the airconditioning units that have become a ubiquitous part of the landscape). However, we must also ’fess up: It isn’t all bad. It is so much easier getting reservations at popular restaurants in the summer. And many of them have special deals to make the meals a little easier on the wallet (See our Dining column on Page AT10 for September’s specials). Divers took advantage of the super-popular lobster mini-season at the end of July, and fishers here in September
get first dibs on snook (See our Outdoors column on Page AT11). It’s even a little easier on the roads, with traffic not quite as bad as when the snowbirds return and tourists arrive en masse. But road projects, which were once targeted for the lesspopulated summertime, are something drivers now can’t get away from no matter what time of year it is. That includes the just-starting Federal Highway construction project in downtown Boca Raton that will last more than a year, and work on underground water pipes along State Road A1A in Ocean Ridge that will be stopping traffic there intermittently for pretty much the rest of the year (See stories on Page 24). Not to mention the ongoing work around the Interstate 95 interchange at Boynton Beach Boulevard. This year, the tropics may be quiet, with current predictions still indicating a mild hurricane season (although it only takes one to make for misery) — and possibly some not-so-royal king tides (See story on Page 12). So, while South Florida’s summer won’t be over for a while, maybe you can catch a deal when you’re out to dinner or catch a snook when you’re out on the water — or fishing from a dock, bridge or beach — and maybe we all can catch a break weatherwise. Any of those could help cure any lingering summertime blues.
The next edition of The Coastal Star will be distributed the weekend of Oct. 3 It will include our Arts Season Preview
— Larry Barszewski, Editor
The power of a mentor: Retired CEO helps student find his path By Kathleen Kernicky When electrical trade student Azrael Class needs professional guidance or advice, he turns to Gregg Strandberg, a retired CEO who volunteers as a mentor at Boca Helping Hands. “Over the past year, his guidance, advice and encouragement helped me become a better version of myself,” said Class, 21, a second-year vocational college student pursuing a career as an electrician. “The books he recommended helped me learn lessons, helped me grow, build new habits and see things from a different perspective.” Strandberg, 62, of Highland Beach, is the founder and former CEO of Filterworks USA (now known as Autotality). Under his leadership, the Deerfield Beach family business grew into a nationwide distributor of automotive collision repair and service center equipment such as frame-straightening systems, bench racks, paint booths and ventilation systems. Strandberg connected with Class last year at Boca Helping Hands, a nonprofit serving Palm Beach County with food assistance and workforce development programs. Helping Hands provides hot meals to anyone in need and a pantry bag program for lowincome families. It helps students like Class attend accredited vocational centers where they train for sustaining careers in areas such as healthcare, construction, information technology and others. Strandberg, a licensed general and mechanical contractor, enjoys being a mentor. He arranges for Class
NOMINATE SOMEONE TO BE A COASTAL STAR Send a note to news@ thecoastalstar.com or call 561-337-1553.
to meet with other business owners who can offer advice or perspective and may be helpful in his future career. “You’re there to give someone a boost and help them achieve their career goals,” he said. Strandberg also has worked at Helping Hands’ warehouse, assembling bags of food from the pantry and handing out turkeys and meals at Thanksgiving. “I love having an impact on our neighbors who are experiencing challenges and need some help,” he said. Helping Hands’ focus is serving the community’s immediate needs for food assistance and future needs in career development. “Let’s feed the folks who need help now and help folks in job development to learn a skill and a trade that will help them to feed themselves and their families later on,” Strandberg said. After living in Boca Raton as a child, Strandberg returned upon graduating from the University of Georgia, where he “definitely knew” he wanted to go into business. He opened Filterworks USA in 1988. His wife, Nancy, did the interior design work for most of their clients. Their daughter-in-law and son worked there. He sold the business in 2018 and stayed on as CEO for three years before retiring and serving as chairman of the board. Married 37 years, the Strandbergs have a daughter, Jensen, and a son, Cole, and two young granddaughters.
He volunteers between trips to New York to visit his daughter and granddaughter. Strandberg arrived at Helping Hands in 2023, one of more than 300 volunteers who help assist more than 40,000 clients each year. Opened as a soup kitchen in 1998, the agency provided more than 3.5 million meals across five distribution sites in Palm Beach County last year, according to its website, bocahelpinghands.org. “I heard great things about this organization and its impact on the community,” Strandberg said. “It was easy to get involved when my schedule started to free up. And I was impressed with what I saw there. “It was such a welcoming environment … and to see how everyone was so absolutely efficient and committed to the cause. I can’t say enough about it.” Trina Chin Cheong, director of Workforce Development at Helping Hands, said volunteers like Strandberg play a vital part in the organization’s success. “Since Gregg joined as a job mentor, he has fully embraced the opportunity to support our trade students as they navigate their journey toward becoming apprentices,” Cheong said. “What stands out about Gregg is his patience, compassion and commitment to meeting each student where they are. He takes the time to listen and understand their needs. His willingness to invest in our students makes a lasting difference.” “Helping Hands is caring about their community and caring about their neighbors,” Strandberg said. “There are endless opportunities to help.” P
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Delray Beach/Gulf Stream
City Commission reverses course, approves North Federal townhome project By Brian Biggane
After sitting empty for the past 20 years, a group of Delray Beach lots on North Federal Highway abutting Gulf Stream’s Place Au Soleil community will be the site of 47 new townhomes. The Delray Beach City Commission approved the project proposed by Ultra Luxury Townhomes LLC by a 3-1 vote at its Aug. 18 meeting, after agreeing to reconsider the project that died on a 2-2 vote in July. Mayor Tom Carney, who previously was involved with the project and whose brother has an investment in the project, recused himself from the votes. Commissioner Tom
Markert, who opposed the reconsideration, ended up being the swing vote for approval, while Commissioner Juli Casale, who cast the deciding vote to allow the project to be reconsidered, ended up voting against it again. Commissioners Angela Burns and Judy Mollica supported the project in both votes. The project, which involves 39 two-story structures and eight that will rise three stories, will be adjacent to Place Au Soleil, the only part of Gulf Stream on the western side of the Intracoastal Waterway. The property sits just north of a golf cart business on the east side of the highway. Commissioners have strived for years to fill that space
with a commercial property, but presenting attorney Neil Schiller argued that national studies have shown that the presence of a Walmart nearby is a significant deterrent to commercial development. Schiller said the Walmart at Federal Highway and Gulfstream Boulevard is just 0.29 miles from the property. In November 2022, an attempt to rezone the property from general commercial to automotive commercial to house a proposed auto dealership was rejected by the commission. The city’s Planning and Zoning Board in May recommended approval of the four waivers proposed by Ultra Luxury only to have the commission reject that proposal
at its July 14 meeting. Further changes made include curbing the sidewalks, coloring them for a visual separation, and providing speed bumps. Schiller’s team stated there is precedent for the residential project on North Federal since the commission approved a similar one known as the Tropics for the west side of North Federal just south of Ultra Luxury’s lots. While that project was approved in August 2024, the land has yet to be cleared. Among those attending the meeting and offering support was Gulf Stream Town Manager Trey Nazzaro, who said his Town Commission passed a resolution in support of the project at its previous meeting and asked him to convey that support. “We believe it is consistent with the area, beneficial to our Place Au Soleil homeowners, and a few of them are here to offer their support,” Nazzaro said.
Nazzaro said the town had previously opposed the petition to rezone the property as automotive commercial because that wasn’t consistent with its homeowners’ wishes. “We voiced very strong opposition and believed it made an impact,” he said. Neal de Jesus, who said he represented a former owner of the property, said he and the owner previously had an offer to sell the property to developers who wanted to fill it with a strip mall but decided against it. “If we developed a strip mall there, with an estimated 15-18 units,” that would mean 15-18 dumpsters behind them, he said. “Knowing the city allows those dumpsters to be picked up at 6 a.m. seven days a week, that was just the wrong thing to do. So, in consultation with the owner, we decided it wouldn’t be right, so we decided to sell the property to the current owners.”P
Letter to the Editor South Palm Beach should explore merger with Palm Beach I want to begin by saying that I respect the South Palm Beach Town Council, our town manager and our staff. The town is fortunate to have people who care deeply about this community. I am asking for one careful, forward-looking step — that we explore whether a negotiated merger with the town of Palm Beach deserves an independent feasibility study. This is not a request to dissolve our community or erase our identity. It is a request to determine whether our identity could be strengthened by combining governments and obtaining Palm Beach-level services. South Palm Beach is about a half mile long. State Road A1A is our only public road. We have no municipal police department and instead contract with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office. We have no public beach. Yet we maintain the full administrative, legal and legislative structure of a separate municipality. A merger could offer residents direct service from the town of Palm Beach Police Department, stronger building and code-enforcement resources for our predominantly condominium and cooperative community, and greater expertise in coastal protection, beach restoration, drainage and king-tide resilience. Palm Beach would also gain substantially. Everyone entering Palm Beach from the south travels through our community. A merger would give Palm Beach greater coordination over safety, traffic, landscaping,
signage, code standards and the appearance of the entire A1A corridor. That is especially timely as South Palm Beach prepares for a new corridor-planning effort. Palm Beach has experience in place-making, refined public design, street-tree management, drainage and coastal resilience. One coordinated government could give this gateway the consistency and long-term care it deserves. Our existing Town Hall property could also become one of the greatest benefits of consolidation. Today, only approximately one-quarter of the building serves as community swing space, and that same room must function as the council chambers. Under a merger, much of the administrative space and the sheriff’s substation would no longer be required. The building and grounds could become a true community pavilion and waterfront civic park, with Intracoastal access and expanded space for the classes, meetings and gatherings our residents value. We would not be giving up Town Hall. We would be giving more of it back to the community. Nothing could happen without negotiation, full financial analysis and separate approval by the voters of both towns. I respectfully request that the council authorize nonbinding discussions with Palm Beach and obtain a scope and cost for an independent merger feasibility study.
— Matt White South Palm Beach
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September 2026
Along the Coast
Hearing Manalapan requested postponed; Ocean Ridge gets involved By Jane Musgrave
A legal battle Manalapan launched to keep sand from being swept south from its shores has been delayed and it’s likely the long-running dispute will get bigger. In what is shaping up to become a battle of coastal communities, Ocean Ridge in early August said it wanted a chance to contest Manalapan’s efforts to reduce the amount of sand that is pumped south from a transfer plant at the Boynton Inlet. The action by Ocean Ridge
Manalapan
prompted Administrative Law Judge Francine Ffolkes to cancel the five-day hearing that was set to begin Aug. 24 to give the town time to prepare its legal arguments. The hearing has been rescheduled for January. By then, other municipalities are likely to join in to block Manalapan’s efforts, predicted Ocean Ridge Mayor Geoff Pugh. “It literally makes no sense,” he said of Manalapan’s quest to curb the operations of the plant, which has pumped sand from one side of the inlet to the other for nearly 90 years. “Any town whose residents
use that inlet for navigation should be up in arms about it,” Pugh said, specifically mentioning Boynton Beach, Lantana and Hypoluxo. Operations of the transfer plant are critical to keep sand from blocking the inlet, which would make it impossible for boaters to get in or out. Ocean Ridge was unaware of the complaint filed by Manalapan until it was contacted by a reporter from The Coastal Star. Once alerted, it filed legal papers, saying it wanted to join Palm Beach County and the Florida
Department of Environmental Protection in opposing Manalapan’s claims. The delay will give Ocean Ridge time not only to prepare its legal arguments but to alert other municipalities, Pugh said. In the complaint, Manalapan claims that the state agency in 2025 shouldn’t have given the county permission to increase the amount of sand that is pumped from the inlet to Ocean Ridge and beyond. The new 10-year permit wasn’t properly vetted and Manalapan was given no chance to weigh in, it claims.
Police Cybertruck turns heads, cuts initial operating costs
By Jane Musgrave Roughly three weeks after the Manalapan Police Department put a donated Tesla Cybertruck on the road, Chief Jeff Rasor said he was impressed with the performance and cost savings of the latest eye-catching addition to his fleet. “The vehicle has outperformed all of our expectations,” he told town commissioners at a meeting on Aug. 11. With the Cybertruck using roughly $4 in electricity during a 12-hour shift, instead of $40 in gas, the financial benefits are obvious. Further, Rasor said, the department won’t have to shell out cash to change oil, replace belts or do other maintenance that is needed to keep gaspowered cruisers patrolling town streets. The Cybertruck has other surprising advantages, Rasor said. “It has better handling, better brakes and the back seat is good,” he told The Coastal
Lantana
For years, erosion has been a problem in Manalapan, its attorneys claim. Taking additional sand will accelerate it. “The increased erosion will diminish the size and quality of Manalapan’s beaches thereby injuring the environment and the natural resources of the state, reducing turtle habitat, (and) diminishing protection offered by the beaches to upland development,” wrote attorney John Fumero, who was hired to represent the town in the dispute.P
Manalapan Police Chief Jeff Rasor says the Tesla Cybertruck given to the department by an anonymous donor has so far exceeded expectations, but how long the electric vehicle lasts compared with gas-powered cars remains to be seen. Design image provided Star. upfront costs. A new Cybertruck upgrades, like sirens and lights. Still, he said, while he costs about $11,000 more than The difference disappears likes the Cybertruck that was the roughly $50,000 price tag on once cost savings are received from an anonymous a Chevy Tahoe or Ford Explorer considered. But, Rasor said, donor, he hasn’t decided that the agency typically uses. there are other considerations. whether to go all-electric. All of the vehicles also need “The biggest question for There is a sizable difference in another $20,000 for police anybody is longevity,” he said.
Grant approved for dog park renovations
By Patrick Sherry Dog owners and their pets going to Lantana’s Maddock Park should prepare to be inconvenienced as the town expects to move forward with constructing accessibility improvements there later this year. The Town Council on Aug. 10 unanimously approved entering into a grant agreement for the project, which will include a new ADA-compliant concrete walkway to replace the existing mulch trail in the dog recreation area. Palm Beach County is providing the town with a $379,210 Community Development Block Grant for the project at the park, 1200 W. Drew St. The design for the project is nearly complete. The agreement needs to be finalized, and the council must still
approve a construction contract for the work to begin. During construction, parts of the park will be closed. “I’ve discussed with the town manager some alternate closure techniques … but we have options on what we can do,” said Vanessa Holloway, Lantana’s contract and grants administrator. Staff suggested completing the project in parts, so only a portion of the park will be closed at any given time. The agreement will take effect on Oct. 1, and the project will need to be completed by Dec. 31, 2027. Town officials will send out notifications for when closures will begin once construction starts. P
Since the small agency is the first in the state to use a Cybertruck for regular patrols, Rasor is doing his own analysis about whether the switch makes sense. The agency keeps its gaspowered cruisers for eight years. Whether the electric truck will be able to sustain the heavy demands put on a police car, remains to be seen. The average person drives about 10 hours a week. A police cruiser is on the road for 40 to 50 hours each week. “I have to give it about six months. That’s when you’ll see what kind of wear and tear there has been,” Rasor said. “Then I can make a decision on the next vehicle.” In the meantime, the officer who was assigned the strange looking, tank-like car is enjoying the notoriety. “A lot of people want to take pictures of the vehicle,” Rasor said. “It’s a head turner, I’ll tell you.”P
Lantana trash collection and recycling rates to increase By Patrick Sherry Lantana’s solid waste and recycling collection fees are going up — but they’ll still be a good deal compared with some of the town’s previous charges for the services. The Town Council unanimously approved the new rates at its meeting on Aug. 10. Rates for a single-family home, mobile home, and small multifamily buildings will be $361.44 per year per unit, an increase of $14.16 annually from the current rate. Larger multifamily buildings will see their rates rise $5.88 per year per unit, to $191.76. This solid waste assessment is in addition to the county’s assessment for landfill and transfer station use. In the 2023-24 fiscal year, the town switched haulers to use Coastal Waste
and Recycling of Florida, which at the time gave residents about $75 off their tax bill. “I’ve been living here all my life, even when Lantana collected trash — Coastal is by far the best,” Mayor Karen Lythgoe said. Town documents show the proposed rates are still lower than what they were before Coastal was hired. In the 202122 fiscal year, the assessment for singlefamily homes, mobile homes, and small multifamily buildings was $11.76 more than the newly approved rate and $44.40 higher for larger multifamily buildings. In total, Lantana expects to receive about $1.69 million in revenue from the new rates, covering 6,005 residential units. P
The COASTAL STAR
September 2026
News 11
Manalapan
Commission speeds up water bill increases as utility plays catch-up
Town still faces major costs for aging treatment plant By Jane Musgrave
While Manalapan residents face an 18% water rate increase in October, that could turn out to be a bargain compared to what may lie down the road. Like other utility systems throughout the country, Manalapan expects to be forced to upgrade its water treatment plant to meet federal regulations that require utilities to remove so-called “forever chemicals” from drinking water supplies by 2031. Added to the town’s woes is that the plant is old and needs an estimated $10 million to $12.5 million in improvements, not including those that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency could require. Further, six years ago, it lost 65% of its revenue when the town of Hypoluxo ended its 60-year contract with the town, electing to get water for its 2,200 residents from Boynton Beach Utilities instead. “It’s almost like a perfect storm of factors (i.e. losing Hypoluxo, insane inflationary period, and EPA regulatory requirements) are all hitting at the same time,” Manalapan Town Manager Eric Marmer wrote in an email. Hoping to get the best deal for its ratepayers, the town is shopping around to see if it would make more sense to follow Hypoluxo’s lead and find another utility to provide water service for the town’s 425 residents and business owners. Preliminary results aren’t good. Palm Beach County Water Utilities said it would cost Manalapan at least $36 million to connect to its system, the town’s utility consultant told commissioners at their August meeting. That is more than double what it is expected to cost to upgrade the existing 92-yearold plant that last underwent major improvements in 2006. John Cairnes, senior project manager for engineering consultant Mock Roos & Associates, said other nearby utilities weren’t surveyed. Commissioners asked him to contact Lantana and Boynton Beach utilities to determine how much they would charge to provide water service to the town. Efforts are also underway to find ways to increase revenues if the town opts to upgrade its plant, Marmer said Town officials are exploring whether South Palm Beach may want to switch its water service to Manalapan and whether Hypoluxo could be lured back, he said. Mayor John Deese said all possibilities should be considered. “But we want to
protect our water system so we don’t have to rely on someone else,” he said. Manalapan isn’t alone in dealing with the looming expense of removing the cancer-causing forever chemicals from its water supply. Rules, requiring water plants to remove per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS, were enacted by the EPA in 2024. The chemicals are in thousands of manmade products, such as non-stick cookware, microwave popcorn bags and stainresistent carpets, and major contamination has been linked to the use of firefighting foam. Delray Beach is spending an estimated $280 million to build a new, larger water treatment plant. An estimated $140 million of that is linked to the cost of removing forever
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chemicals. Riviera Beach is spending an estimated $400 million on a new water treatment plant to address a host of issues, including the federal regulations. “The whole country is dealing with it,” Marmer said. The Town Commission signed off on the 18% rate hike to assure the plant remains in good financial health. A 2025 rate study recommended the 18% increase — following an average 80% rise the commission enacted last year — be phased in over three years, but commissioners decided to accelerate that schedule. Water rates for the town are based on pipe size and usage so the increases will vary. The larger the pipe size, the greater demand on the system. Nearly
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all Manalapan residences are served by either a 1-inch or 2-inch pipe. According to the rates, shown on the town’s website, those with a 1-inch pipe are paying a base price of $171.83 a month. An 18% rise would increase those bills to $202.75 when the new rates take effect. Under the original plan to spread the remaining increase over three years, those customers would have been paying $182.14. Those with a 2-inch pipe, who are paying a base price of $532.75, would see their bills jump to $628.64 instead of the $564.76 they would have been paying with the recommended three-year increase. Customers also are billed for how much water they use. That, too, would increase 18%, according to the rate plan.
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Before last year, there hadn’t been a rate increase for 11 years. During that time, the cost of labor, chemicals, equipment and other expenses skyrocketed, Marmer said. “When the town finally completed a rate study, it became clear that rates had fallen significantly behind the actual cost of operating the system,” he said. “The increases adopted by the commission were intended to correct that imbalance and put the utility back on a financially sustainable footing.” The rate study didn’t take into consideration the cost of possible upgrades needed to deal with forever chemicals. “So, unfortunately (this) will not be the end of rate increases,” Marmer said. P
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12 News
The COASTAL STAR
September 2026
Along the Coast
Be prepared for a royal pain: King tides are coming
By Ruth Santana
They’re images coastal residents have gotten used to seeing: Sportsman’s Park in Lantana resembling a lagoon, impassable roads around the Eau Resort and Spa in Manalapan, residents wading through rising waters in Delray Beach, Briny Breezes, Boca Raton — you name the community — to get into their vehicles. It isn’t a storm or hurricane that’s typically behind these events. No, they’re the result of king tides — also known as sunnyday flooding — the higherthan-normal high tides that are possible every fall when a full or new moon is closest to Earth. They can cause sea levels to be a foot or more above normal. Residents who live along the Intracoastal Waterway or along the coast or canals may face flooding damage from the seasonal events that have gotten worse due to climate change. But they might get a break this year. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has predicted that this year’s hurricane season will be calmer than normal in the Atlantic Ocean due to El Niño — and the weather pattern could also
temper the intensity of this year’s king tides. Palm Beach County’s Division of Built Environment Risk Reduction says the 2026 king tides are not expected to reach any flood stage. However, the division singled out two king tide event periods — Oct. 26-29 and Nov. 24-27 — for having the greatest potential for flooding. Although it is easy to predict when a king tide will occur due to astronomical alignments, and for research models to determine the baseline of the tide, strong winds or a passing storm can easily turn a minor event into major flooding. "Anyone in flood-prone areas should be prepared and should stay alert regardless of the forecast numbers," said Stessy Cocerez, the county's BERR director. According to the South Florida Water Management District, which uses broader date ranges than the county (which looks at single-day threshholds), the king tide dates for 2026 are: • Sept. 8-15 • Sept. 24-Oct. 15 • Oct. 22-Nov. 12 • Nov. 22-29 • Dec. 22-27 Briny Breezes, which has been particularly susceptible
Sloshing through knee-deep water is commonplace in areas of Briny Breezes during king tides. The flooding is expected to occur starting this month. 2022 The Coastal Star photo to king tides, is taking steps to construction drawings, and of pending high tides and strengthen its infrastructure afterwards a year and a half when they are expected to the and protect against future to build,” Town Manager Bill residents. The police department flooding. The town has been Thrasher said. is notified of parking allowance preparing to build a new sea When asked if the town will to avoid ticketing,” Thrasher wall and improve its storm be implementing any extra said in an email. water systems. precautions, Thrasher said, Other towns are using social It has also approved allowing “Nothing we can do right now media to keep residents up to higher home elevations other than encourage people date. Ocean Ridge posted on after the Federal Emergency to park in higher locations Facebook the expected king tide Management Agency updated and encourage residents to dates and encouraged residents its regulations for homes in implement flood prevention on to take precautions to keep heavy flood zones. their own property. It’s not our themselves safe. The post ended “The drainage project responsibility to do it for them.” with “a little preparation and should start fourth quarter of The town will continue to awareness go a long way.” P Larry Barszewski contributed to 2026. … The sea wall will take implement its usual measures. six months for permits and “The corporation gives notice this story.
The COASTAL STAR
September 2026
News 13
Gulf Stream
Commissioners stand firm against variance for historic estate
By Steve Plunkett
A new property owner’s stubborn second attempt to win a variance to remodel a century-old oceanfront estate will instead lead Gulf Stream to devise new building rules for its remaining handful of historic homes. Jay and Christi Turner purchased the property, called “Miradero,” at 1443 N. Ocean Blvd. from the late Bob Ganger’s family for $21.6 million last September and quickly assembled a design team to bring the buildings into the 21st century. But when architect Richard Sammons presented the plans to the Town Commission on June 12, including seeking 2,605 square feet more than the allowable limit of floor space, he quickly learned one hard truth about Gulf Stream: The town does not easily grant variances. Shocked commissioners wondered why the team had not worked with town staff to avoid asking for the variance to the building code. Sammons, of Palm Beach- and New Yorkbased Fairfax & Sammons Architecture, tried to explain. “You asked why it hadn’t come up before — because when we look at the site, the site’s enormous. It just never occurred to us that we were even anywhere near (the limit). … It doesn’t feel crowded on the site.
The new owners of the century-old estate known as Miradero, once owned by Lila Vanderbilt Webb, are attempting to remodel it. Photo provided … It just didn’t occur to us. It The house was built a hundred was our mistake,” he said. years ago. There’s not many of Jay Turner, of the billionaire those left in Gulf Stream,” he family that owns Dollar General said. stores, conceded that town staff Unswayed, commissioners had warned them that winning sent the application back to a variance was unlikely. the Architectural Review and “Our thinking was, if there’s Planning Board and told the anytime you’re going to grant a Turner team to work with variance, it would be this one. staff to develop an acceptable
proposal. Architectural designer Scott Collison returned with redrawn plans to the commission’s Aug. 14 meeting. Some living space in the main house was changed to a single-car garage. And two of the original four bays of an “enormous” garage were gone, bringing the floor space overage down —but still 959 square feet too much. So he still needed relief. “You’re requesting a variance still and you know at the town we really don’t grant variances overall. And I brought it up during the last meeting,” Commissioner Joan Orthwein said. She praised the house plan, which remained faithful to original Palm Beach architect Maurice Fatio’s 1928 design. “It’s just gorgeous, and I’d like to see you have it,” she said. “But also I don’t want to jeopardize our variances in our rules. It opens the door for other people to get certain things.” Vice Mayor Tom Stanley was open to relief for the “pretty unique” circumstances. “There’s no other house that’s ever going to be like this,” he said. In the end commissioners directed Town Manager Trey Nazzaro to draft new code language to cover historic properties. He said that could take perhaps two years.
“We would have plenty of time to study it and provide something that is thoughtful and appropriate instead of just rushing through,” Nazzaro said. As for Miradero, the town granted a permit to demolish the swimming pool, part of the main house and garage/pool house. The permit also calls for destruction of the gate house at the front, which is more than 1,000 square feet, to avoid having to grant a variance. But the plan is to use the gate house as a staging area for the estimated three-year construction period and reapply to amend the demolition permit to keep the gate house after the town enacts the new historical building rules. Ganger, a former town commissioner and vice mayor, wrote a history of his house titled, “Lila Vanderbilt Webb’s Miradero: Window on an Era,” about the heiress’ home that he and his father bought in 1970. The original property was split in two in the 1930s with the resulting properties sharing a common wall. Architect Sammons described the Turners’ portion as the estate’s master bedroom and service wing and the side to the north as its “pleasure dome.” The northern side of the estate at 1465 N. Ocean Blvd., with the original tower and bedrooms, sold for $16.65 million in 2023. P
Delray Beach
City to hire consultant following renewed cemetery complaints
By Brian Biggane Delray Beach City Manager Terrence Moore said he is hiring a consultant to come up with recommendations for decadesold issues at the city’s cemetery that have been resurrected in recent months by irate city residents concerned about its upkeep and management. Dozens of residents lined up during the public comment portion of the City
Commission’s Aug. 18 meeting, criticizing the lack of progress at Delray Beach Memorial Gardens Municipal Cemetery and repeatedly urging the commission to appoint a citizens’ advisory committee to work with the consultant before any decisions are made. Moore said that will happen. “I will keep the City Commission informed relative to the services being rendered, the name of the consultancy,
and the specific steps to be finalized … for your review and consideration in the coming weeks,” Moore told commissioners. “I’d like to give this opportunity a chance to be productive and successful.” Mayor Tom Carney, who said he had walked through the cemetery recently, said, “There’s a lot of systemic problems there that I don’t know that we’re ever going to be able to correct.” Later he added, “I want to
City expands impact fees it charges for new developments In an effort to make growth pay for itself, new developments in Delray Beach will have to contribute more to cover the costs the city expects to incur for the equipment and facilities needed to serve those new homes. In addition to increasing the existing impact fees the city charges for parks at its Aug. 18 meeting, the City Commission unanimously approved new impact fees that will go toward municipal, police, fire rescue, water, wastewater and storm water capital projects. The new fees — which apply to new residential developments and expansions exceeding 1,000 square feet — are based on an impact fee justification study completed in January and prepared by DTA Public Finance Inc. The new fees take effect Jan. 1. The city will charge far less than the study’s recommended park impact fee of $6,741 for each
new residential unit because the state limits how much existing fees can be increased. Instead, the current $500 impact fee will rise to $562.50 in January. With the other impact fees added in, someone building a 2,000-square-foot home — on a vacant lot with 2,500 square feet of impervious area — will owe the city $12,757.50 in impact fees. That includes $3,380.50 for water (half the fee the study recommended), $2,780 for city administration, $2,440 for fire rescue, $1,375 for storm water, $1,220 for police and $1,000 for sewer. Some of the fees are per unit and others are per square feet. Future increases can only be made once every four years, based on a new impact fee study, and each fee is limited to a 50% increase, spread out over several years.
— Larry Barszewski
underscore this really is just the first step.” One resident after another lodged complaints about the cemetery. Several, including Sandra Owens, said they had bought a plot only to have the city sell it again and bury someone in it without notifying them or refunding their money. “I want to be buried next to my mother,” Owens said. “That’s it.” Kevin Mitchell, one of several funeral directors who
spoke, delivered a detailed list of considerations to be made, including an audit of past practices and erecting a building on the premises to serve as an office for a full-time caretaker, another request. An oft-repeated complaint was the state of the grounds and the gravestones, and a consensus that erecting a mausoleum was not a good idea. P
Delray Beach News Storm water study planned; rate increase approved — Delray Beach is getting set to update its Stormwater
Master Plan, with the City Commission approving a $300,000 grant agreement with the Florida Division of Emergency Management at its Aug. 11 meeting to study the city’s storm water infrastructure. The grant will be combined with $200,000 from the city to pay for the project. The updated plan will assess the condition and capacity of the city’s storm water system, identify vulnerabilities and prioritize future capital improvement projects. At its Aug. 18 meeting, the commission approved a 4.8% increase in the city’s storm water assessment fee. The owner of a home between 2,000 and 5,000 square feet will see a $7.17 annual increase, bringing the total to $155.39 for the year. — Patrick Sherry
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The COASTAL STAR
September 2026
September 2026
The COASTAL STAR
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The COASTAL STAR
NONPROFITS
Continued from page 1 contracts for cultural programs will be the first to go,” said Steven Abrams, a former Palm Beach County commissioner and Boca Raton mayor.
What municipalities give
In coastal southern Palm Beach County, larger cities tend to give grants to nonprofits while small towns do not. The exception is Highland Beach, which gives a $2,500 contribution to the Highland Beach Sea Turtle Team, a volunteer-based nonprofit organization. Delray Beach will fund eight organizations in the next fiscal year, with the library — one of only two larger-city libraries in the state that are nonprofits — drawing the largest donation of about $2.27 million total. The remaining seven nonprofits each receive less than $275,000. Boca Raton in its current year’s budget allotted just over $500,000 for 75 nonprofits, with the largest donation being $37,000 to Boca Helping Hands. In Boynton Beach, each commissioner is allotted $6,000 a year in discretionary funds — or a total of $30,000 — that they often use to support nonprofits. In addition, the city will provide about $40,000 to a handful of nonprofits and
Ongoing coverage of pros and cons of Amendment 3 on the November ballot cover more than $280,000 of operational costs for the Schoolhouse Children’s Museum.
Funds already shrinking
For cultural organizations, which have seen state cutbacks in the arts over recent years, a reduction in grants from local governments could impact programming and lead to a reduction in staffing. Most will have to do what local governments will have to do: Look at cost savings and search for other revenue sources. “We will have to evaluate every program again, determining whether we can afford to continue each one,” said Marjorie Waldo, Arts Garage president and CEO.
“We will have to figure out if we can do more with less. We will call on our community to continue to support our efforts. And of course, we will have to pass some of the losses on to the consumer in increased pricing.” Looking for support from the community may be a challenge for many nonprofit organizations since there is already stiff competition for every philanthropic dollar and it is likely to get worse. “There’s not enough philanthropic dollars left to fill the gap if government funding goes away,” said Jeff Perlman, a former Delray Beach mayor and now executive director of the Carl Angus DeSantis Foundation, which funds nonprofits in Palm Beach and Broward counties. Foundations, Perlman says, are already feeling pressure. “Losing support from local governments is going to add to an already strained situation,” he said. Compounding the growing demand for services from nonprofit organizations is a cutback in federal government funding, especially in the human services area. “The pie for funds is getting smaller and the demand is getting greater,” said Mike Donohue, communications and external affairs manager for the Florida Nonprofit Alliance. “There’s a higher demand for services and less money to fund those services.” Donohue said that a reduction in municipal government funding will also put more pressure on nonprofits. “People need to consider that when public sector services are cut, people will look toward nonprofits,” he said.
Potential impacts
Donohue’s organization, which focuses on supporting and helping to strengthen Florida’s statewide nonprofit community, recently surveyed members and found that almost 90% of those responding said they expect greater competition for other funding sources should Amendment 3 pass. The survey also asked the 83 nonprofits that responded how they would adjust to a reduction in revenue should the amendment pass, with 65% saying they would cut programs or services or turn clients away.
September 2026
Of those that responded, 54% said they may have to reduce services and 51% said they would have to delay expansion plans. Close to 50% said they might have to tap into financial reserves, while 32% said they would leave vacant positions open. Beside the direct impact a cut in municipal funding could have on nonprofits lies an indirect impact on those organizations’ abilities to get federal government funding as well as funding from foundations. “It’s difficult to get federal funding without showing you have local government support,” Abrams said. The former mayors also point out that vetting by local governments of a nonprofit gives other funding sources an additional layer of comfort knowing that the organization has value. One of the questions that has been raised by some who favor the amendment is whether local governments should be funding nonprofit organizations. “It’s a viable argument,” says Perlman, who added that he’s heard that concern raised over the years.
Nonprofits fill voids
Both he and Abrams, however, point out that in many cases the organizations receiving tax dollars are providing services that would fall to local governments if the not-for-profits were absent. “The thought was that by providing a service that didn’t already exist, the city wouldn’t have to provide that service or deal with the fallout of not having it,” Perlman said. Abrams points to Boca Raton’s funding of the Mae Volen Senior Center, saying that means the city does not need to have its own senior center. The same could be said for affordable child care with the Fuller Center in Boca Raton and the Achievement Centers for Children and Families in Delray Beach, which provide services to meet a need that the cities then don’t have to fill. Should local governments need to cut their support of nonprofits, the determination of how that will be done is still up in the air. Boca Raton Mayor Andy Thomson said his city will have a tough time helping nonprofits
because the amendment limits how tax dollars can be spent — focusing primarily on core services, a category that nonprofit organizations do not meet. “Historically, we have always been, I think, pretty generous giving out funds on that,” he said. “It may be more difficult now.” Delray Beach leaders will also have to decide what organizations to support, if any, should the amendment pass. “There will be tough decisions that will have to be made,” City Manager Terrence Moore said.
Children’s Services Council
In addition to getting municipal government support, many of the nonprofit organizations in the area that provide services to support children receive their funding from the Children Services Council of Palm Beach County, which is a taxing district that receives funding directly from property taxes. More than 90% of its revenue comes from local property taxes and helps the council fund more than 700 organizations that strengthen the health and wellbeing of children and families throughout the county. Should Amendment 3 pass and the homestead exemption increase to $250,000 in two years, the Children Services Council would lose about $26 million, or about 15% of its budget. The council and many other organizations are in the process of planning what steps to take to continue funding children’s programs should the amendment pass. “We are working diligently and thoughtfully to determine how to protect the services families depend on,” said Lauren Zuchman, the council’s chief communications and partnership officer. “A reduction of this size will inevitably affect programming, but it is too early to say what that might look like.”
Downstream effects
Abrams, the former Boca mayor, believes that cuts in funding to nonprofits by local governments would have their greatest impact on low-income Continued on the next page
Along the Coast ‘Journalist of the Year’ winner wrote for The Coastal Star
John Pacenti won the Journalist of the Year competition in the 2026 Sunshine State Awards sponsored by the Floridabased Society for Professional Journalism, including for work he did for The Coastal Star. The award, presented Aug. 29 in Fort Lauderdale, was for 2025 stories done while Pacenti was covering Delray Beach, Ocean Ridge and Manalapan for The Coastal Star. He left the paper in May to join the USA Today
Network-Florida; his work now appears in The Palm Beach Post. The award also covered work he did for the Key Biscayne Independent and for South Florida Business & Wealth. His entry included Coastal Star stories about beach erosion, state threats to home rule, social media use in local politics, Delray Beach’s fight with the state over its Pride intersection, and a whistleblower complaint concerning Delray Beach code enforcement. P
The COASTAL STAR
September 2026
News 17
Amendment 3
Signs remind residents of where their tax dollars go to work
Displays are meant to educate, not persuade, officials say By Rich Pollack
So, what’s with these “Thank You Residents” signs popping up in parks and public facilities throughout Palm Beach County and in Delray Beach? They are, county and Delray Beach city leaders say, part of an educational campaign to remind residents where their tax dollars go. And it’s no accident that the signs have been appearing just a few months before voters go to the polls to vote on Amendment 3, a proposal that would increase property tax exemptions but reduce revenues that local governments say are needed to provide a wide array of services. “This is an education initiative,” Delray Beach City Manager Terrence Moore said. Palm Beach County leaders, who say as many as 500 signs will be going up throughout the county, echo Moore’s comments, saying they hope the signs will fill a gap with many residents not understanding what services and facilities are paid for with tax dollars. “We found that not all residents understand how county funding works,” said John Jamason, the county’s interim director of public affairs. The county also found that many residents would not be happy paying for services they now get for free, including parking at several beaches. Residents became outraged after learning that county leaders had planned to charge $3.20 an hour to park at several county-owned parks, including
Continued from previous page families as well as others who need community support. “If local government isn’t supporting human needs, then nonprofits have to make up the difference,” he said. “Human needs don’t go away.” Arts Garage’s Waldo takes a broader view and sees the impact of cuts to nonprofits — especially the arts — as having a potentially negative economic effect. She said that Arts Garage generates about $3.8 million in economic impact annually and serves more than 13,000 patrons, including those who visit area restaurants, hotels and other businesses. “We are partners in making our town the special magnetic place that it is because the work generates returns beyond our doors,” she said. P Mary Hladky contributed to this story.
Gulfstream Park near Gulf Stream and Ocean Inlet Park at the Boynton Inlet. As a result, the county changed course and decided to keep parking free for residents at several parks — provided they get a free permit — but charge others $4 an hour at those parks beginning in October. Moore and Jamason point out that the signs don’t take a position on the amendment. Counties and cities are prohibited from using public funds to advocate for or against ballot issues or constitutional amendments under Florida law. “This is education, not advocacy,” said Moore, adding that his city has been holding Town Hall meetings to help residents better understand
how budgeting and municipal finances work. While the county has been placing signs in parks and in front of libraries — and has plans to put some on roads and bridges — Delray Beach’s effort is much smaller. Just a handful of signs in the city are posted in parks and in front of City Hall, and Old School Square has a banner. The city has also employed social media to remind residents where their tax dollars go, using about six different images, including one of a police boat with a reminder that public safety and emergency management are funded by property taxes. P
Ocean Ridge Hammock Park is among county parks with signs at entrances and parking lots to remind residents that their tax dollars support public facilities. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star
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18 6 Meet NewsYour Neighbor
10 Questions
E
ntrepreneur Jeff John recently received Lynn University’s Gregory J. Malfitano Distinguished Alumni Award. He earned a bachelor of science there in 2000, and an MBA in 2002. “I was very, very surprised and very honored,” said John, who lives in Boca Raton. “Lynn holds a very good spot in my heart. “Obviously, it’s the people who make everything happen in any business. There were a lot of great professors that I had: Dr. Ralph Norcio, Dr. Matthew Miller, Dr. John Pickering. They were all ex-CEOs, CFOs, CMOs of companies, so they really taught me about real life experiences, versus just what some author puts in a book.” John, 49, must have been paying attention, because his business keeps growing. Under the umbrella of his company, Damn Good Hospitality Group, are Revolution Live (Fort Lauderdale, opened in 2004); America’s Backyard (Fort Lauderdale, 2008); Green Room (Fort Lauderdale, 2010), which morphed into the Stache Drinking Den (2013); Green Bar and Kitchen (Fort Lauderdale, 2018), and Warren American Whiskey Kitchen (Delray Beach in 2021 and Naples in 2023). But John’s landing a business in hospitality happened by accident, he said. “I had a friend who invested in the Chili Pepper property in Fort Lauderdale, and I had a minor investment with his plan. Let’s just say the plan didn’t go as planned. Long story short, I ended up buying out all the other partners in 2002 and doing it myself.” That grew into his first venues, Revolution Live, America’s Backyard and Stache. Before any of this happened, John, who grew up in Barrington, northwest of Chicago, had no plans at all on the business/hospitality track. His passion was skiing. “But my dad wanted me to go to college instead,” John said. “I probably wasn’t going to [go to] school. A month before school started, one of my best friends, Tony Chiarito, and I and our families came to Florida. A high school counselor at Barrington High School had recommended Lynn University. Lynn was small, private and quaint with smaller classes and an excellence in sports. It seemed like a good fit.” John said that Lynn’s dean, Paul Turner, “was the man. My friends and I did all the sports, the intramurals, and he was always the referee. Soccer, which is what I came down to play, didn’t work out. We ended up doing intramural flag football and basketball. And we beat FAU in the Boca Bowl. “Put that in the article in big letters, ‘Lynn beat FAU in the original Boca Bowl.’ (Howard) Schnellenberger was the referee, if you could
The COASTAL STAR
September November 2019 2026
MEET YOUR NEIGHBOR: Jeff John Q. What book are you reading now? A. Not reading one right now, not a big book reader. I read a lot about my industry (data reports), read the newspaper every day, try and read Scripture, daily devotional.
Jeff John at one of his restaurants, Warren American Whiskey Kitchen in Delray Beach. John, who lives in Boca Raton, is the 2026 recipient of the Gregory J. Malfitano Distinguished Alumni Award from Lynn University, where he earned two degrees. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star believe that. He was the coach that FAU hired. He won the championship with Miami, a very famous guy.” Often, for Sunday brunch, he and his family eat at Warren. For that venue, “We wrapped what my Uncle Warren loved around our whiskey collection and put a package together, and we used a great designer in Fort Lauderdale.” Overall, his hospitality concepts are designed around “the experience,” he explained. “It starts with the first touch right at the door: the look, the feel of the room, the sound in the room. But also, obviously, it boils down to service and the quality of food and beverage. “When you look at Warren, we serve all Australian wagyu, which is extremely high-end, and it’s a scratch kitchen. So, all the sauces, all the purees, salad dressings are made from scratch. And if you look at the beverage side, there’s 1,200-plus bottles of whiskey — some of the best in the world. Back in the day, I created relationships with whiskey companies and now that’s blossomed, allowing me to build a restaurant concept out of our ability to get some of these fine and rare bottles of whiskey and alcohol.” The success is reflected in the number of customers. “Just in Fort Lauderdale, I think we get a million to 2 million people through our venues in a year,” John said. “And then, at the restaurants, we do anywhere from 2,000 to 4,000 people a week. “That’s a lot of cocktails.”
It’s hard for John to choose his past favorite performers at Revolution Live. “There were hundreds,” he said. “Absolutely, Chris Cornell, A Tribe Called Quest, Kings of Leon, Smashing Pumpkins,” and, he added, he’s looking forward to Michael Franti on Sept. 22. While John and his family — wife, Jackie, and kids, Jaxon, 6, and Jordyn, 4 — love to ski, golf has become his No. 1 sport. He’s also good in his own kitchen. “I cook ribs really, really, really good. Crock-pot action. On the Fourth of July, I did a 101/2-pound pork with the bone in for my family. It was just to die for.” Charities he’s been involved with include Big Brothers, Big Sisters in Fort Lauderdale, and the United Way in Fort Lauderdale. “After the Marjory Stoneman Douglas tragedy, I did a Friday event at our place, raised $85,000 and gave away 17 angel scholarships. We’re very proud of that,” he said.
— Christine Davis
Q. Where did you grow up and go to school? How do you think that has influenced you? A. I was born and raised in Barrington, Illinois, a small town about 40 miles northwest of the city of Chicago. I went to North Barrington Elementary School, Barrington Middle School, Barrington High School and Lynn University for undergrad and graduate school. Growing up in Barrington was great; it was a small town, close families and community. We were just close enough to Chicago where it was very
easy to get in and out of the city on a regular basis, so I was fortunate to spend a lot of my childhood growing up in downtown Chicago as well as having a small-town experience. Growing up there mixed with the big town, I think was a great influence on me, allowing me to understand both markets, the diversity in people and how things worked. Q. What professions have you worked in? A. I have worked in real estate and development and building management in the city of Chicago [on internships during summers as an undergrad and grad student]. I have worked in hospitality ever since. Q. What advice do you have for a young person selecting a career today? A. You better love what you decide to do! When in doubt, go for it. Put yourself out there. You’ve got to want it. Q. How did you choose to make your home in Boca Raton? A. My wife, Jackie. We were living in Fort Lauderdale and my wife and her family, Bernhard and Vikki Langer, are somewhat from Boca and live here. She wanted to move back. [Bernhard Langer is a twotime Masters golf champion.] Q. What is your favorite part about living in Boca Raton? A. Best parts about living in Boca: It’s safe, clean, quiet and quaint, beautiful beaches. In a way, similar to where I grew up, more of a suburb, I love it.
Q. What music do you listen to when you need inspiration? When you want to relax? A. Good question. Obviously, I love music. My favorite music to get inspired is mostly hard rock and old school trash/ punk music like Metallica, Ozzy Osbourne, Guns N’ Roses, Pantera, Rancid, Jane’s Addiction, Smashing Pumpkins, to name a few. But on the same hand I have to say Tupac, he was the absolute best, very inspirational. Last, I would have to says The Doors, love them, inspirational for sure. As far as relaxing, what’s better than reggae and Bob Marley? I love reggae music and the culture. Over the years, we have produced many reggae shows and it’s always been great. I love listening to Bob Marley Radio when I’m playing golf. Also, I would add classic rock, I can always relax to classic rock. Q. Have you had mentors in your life? Individuals who have inspired your life decisions? A. Yes, I’ve had mentors in my life: my father, Dr. Edward John, my uncle Warren John, Dr. Norcio, and Dave Silver [previous director of operations at John’s company]. My dad and uncle, I would probably wrap it up into morals, values, work ethic and family. If I had any questions or if I didn’t understand a question or mathematical equation completely, Dr. Norcio helped me. Dave Silver taught me a lot about hospitality, the goods and bads. Q. If your life story were made into a movie, who would you want to play you? A. I’m really not a movie guy, but I would guess I would have to say, I always love Ray Liotta. The only other person is a guy by the name of Glen Plake [a Hall of Fame skier]. Q. What’s your favorite cause and why? A. The military and our veterans. Without them, we would not be here today. We would not be able to live in the greatest country in the world, and we would not have our freedom. The world would not be what it is today without the service of American men and women. They along with their families sacrificed for all of us, and they deserve to be honored as heroes every single day. They should be entitled to the best of the best, starting with healthcare, the best professional services, the best financial access.
September 2026
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20 News
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September 2026
SUNDY
Continued from page 1
Sundy House
temporarily closed
SW First St.
Historic buildings
Swinton Ave.
the noise standards and hours of operation that would change if the area were designated part of the entertainment district, and it could also be a draw for future businesses. The City Commission is holding talks with the public and businesses in the surrounding area about the idea. Sundy Village’s first phase brought roughly 100,000 square feet of office space and 30,000 square feet of retail and dining space to the area just east of the city’s library, police station and county courthouse complex on West Atlantic Avenue. A 268-space underground parking garage also is operational. Barcelona Wine Bar, originally of Colorado, and Double Knot, of Philadelphia, are attracting diners, along with Baya Bar. A craft brewery and more are preparing to take up other spaces in the project that spreads a block west of Swinton — from Atlantic Avenue south to the Sundy House at Southwest First Street. Already neighboring businesses are pleased. “We are thrilled. It’s absolutely beautiful,” said Elizabeth Grace, founder of The Buzz Agency public relations firm that’s been in the building west of the project for 16 years. “It elevates our area of Delray.” Before the project arrived, there was a check cashing store, a vape store and little to attract other businesses, she said. “We’re very glad to see them go.” The project’s seaside town design features bright white concrete, landscaped courtyards and walkways between buildings, with balconies and French doors on upper levels. “I think everybody’s very happy with it and how it turned out,” said John Miller, director of operations for the Delray Beach Historical Society. Block 61, as it is known, is part of the Old School Square Historic Arts District, which is both locally recognized and on the National Register of Historic Places. This means modifications to the structures must follow preservation codes. Years of back and forth with the developer, the city and historic preservationists resulted in the project that will be completed during a second phase. “It’s been a long process of proposals” over the years, said Miller. The project began with Hudson Holdings in 2014, and then transferred to Pebb Capital, the current owner, in 2019. The plans underwent significant changes over the years, Miller said, satisfying the preservation group that the adjacent homes and structures would be maintained and upgraded. Hudson first proposed a fourstory building, and wanted to move the existing homes on top of a parking garage using artificial landscaping. After the City Commission objected, that changed to three-story buildings
Sundy Village Delray Beach Library
West Atlantic Ave. North
ABOVE: The first phase of Sundy Village, at the corner of Atlantic and South Swinton avenues in downtown Delray Beach, offers about 100,000 square feet of office space and 30,000 square feet of retail and dining. LEFT: In a later phase, the 1902 Sundy House, named for Delray’s first mayor, John Sundy, will reopen as a hotel and restaurant. Photos by Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star and an underground garage, and the vintage structures are now at ground level as before, Miller said. These include the former rectory of the Methodist church, built in 1912, the 1903 Cathcart house and others on the block. The City Commission on Aug. 18 approved allowing outdoor dining until midnight at Sundy Village’s historic structures next to the new buildings. The dining will be on decks, porches and patios that were constructed around the buildings as part of the project, said Mike Covelli of Covelli Design Associates, the project’s
agent. “Everyone has seen the evolution of this project. Bringing some night dining into the area will actually bring more people in,” Covelli said. “If anything, it will be a catalyst for other redevelopment in the area.” Among the restaurants planned for the historic buildings are The Taco Stand, Delray Craft Brewing, Maman cafe, and The Drinking Pig. Van Leeuwen Ice Cream is already open in one of the buildings. “If you haven’t seen the renovations, this is the part of Sundy Village I think that everyone can universally
be proud of, and it’s taken a lot of work,” Delray Beach Development Services Director Anthea Gianniotes said. Mayor Tom Carney said the reuse of the once-deteriorating structures has given the area a boost. “Most of you remember what these were like before,” Carney said. “It’s been a great, such a positive development for that part of Swinton and that part of the city.” The 1902 Sundy House, named for Delray’s first mayor, John Sundy — who served when Delray was a small town and “Beach” had yet to be added to its name — will be refurbished
as a hotel, restaurant, bar and event space in the second phase of the project. Sundy Village already is 90% leased, according to its website. Office space leased in the three-story building includes the headquarters for Pebb Capital; Vertical Bridge, the largest private owner of cell towers in the U.S.; Digital Bridge, one of the largest international infrastructure investment firms; and Dragonfly Scan, a medical company that moved from East Atlantic Avenue. The second phase of Sundy Village is expected to be completed by early 2027. P
The COASTAL STAR
September 2026
News 21
Along the Coast
Clerk of courts, ex-legislator, free on bond on child sex-abuse charges By Larry Barszewski
Mike Caruso, Palm Beach County’s clerk of courts and comptroller — and a former state representative for South County’s island communities — was arrested Aug. 18 on multiple child sex-abuse charges. Gov. Ron DeSantis suspended him from office. Caruso, a Caruso Republican, has been seeking election to the clerk’s post to which DeSantis appointed him last year. Caruso, 67, has been charged with five felony counts: kidnapping, lewd or lascivious exhibition, lewd or lascivious molestation, luring or enticing a child, and child abuse (mental injury). He was transferred from Palm Beach County to Orange County, where he will be tried. But an Orlando circuit judge questioned the charges at an Aug. 28 pretrial hearing. “At this time I cannot say that there’s a substantial probability that the defendant committed the offenses,” Judge A. James Craner said. Craner set bond at $160,000,
which Caruso posted later that day, leaving the Orlando County Jail and returning to his new home, a condominium he bought in December in Lake Park. “I maintain my innocence completely,” he told reporters. Still, officials said, the investigation remains ongoing and more charges are expected. The Haba Law Firm in Orlando, which is representing the alleged victim in the case, is encouraging any other individuals who may have been victimized by Caruso to reach out. Caruso was a Delray Beach National Little League coach for more than 30 years, and was a Cub Scout and Boy Scout leader, according to his biographical information on the flhouse.gov website. The counts against Caruso involve an alleged victim under 12 years of age and incidents that were reported to have occurred in 2024 and 2025. The Coastal Star is limiting the victim information it provides to protect the child’s identity. According to a Florida Department of Law Enforcement arrest affidavit, the alleged victim said he was
Ocean Ridge News Police starting salary raised — With Ocean Ridge Police Chief
Scott McClure having trouble hiring officers, town commissioners in August agreed to hike the annual salary for new hires to $75,000. Town Manager Michelle Heiser said the decision had immediate impacts. The $5,000-a-year pay raise allowed the town to hire an officer who had been considering going to a nearby agency where she could have earned $77,000 annually. “I hate the idea of losing great candidates,” Heiser said on Aug. 3 when she urged town commissioners to increase the salary to make Ocean Ridge competitive with its neighbors. When the new hire begins work Oct. 1, the 24-person agency will be at full strength, she said. Another officer, who started work in May, will get a $5,000 boost when the new fiscal year begins Oct. 1. Extra money will be added to next year’s proposed $11 million operating budget to cover the increased pay for future new hires. The move is important because the town will be negotiating a new contract with the Police Benevolent Association next year, Heiser said. “I’d like the PBA members to see the goodwill we have and that we really want to invest in them.”
Bereavement leave — The swearing in of newly appointed
Ocean Ridge Town Commissioner Lanette Bosch Gustafson was postponed for a month in August because her mother died. In a letter read by Commissioner Carolyn Cassidy, Gustafson said she regretted missing what was to be her first commission meeting, but that she had to travel to Iowa to be with her family. The commission unanimously selected Gustafson in July to replace Commissioner David Hutchins, who died in May at age 78. She is now to be sworn in on Sept. 14. “It is a tremendous honor to serve this community and I look forward to joining my fellow commissioners to officially participate in the September meeting,” Gustafson wrote.
No watering fake grass — To promote water conservation,
Ocean Ridge is adopting new rules designed to stop homeowners from irrigating artificial turf. Those who install synthetic grass surrounding homes that are on less than an acre of land will be required to remove all irrigation heads and cap the water pipes, according to a measure the Town Commission gave preliminary approval to on Aug. 3. The new rules, created by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, will take effect immediately if the ordinance is approved by the commission on Sept. 14.
— Jane Musgrave
abused in Orange County around Thanksgiving in 2024 and during a family cruiseship vacation with Caruso and others in August 2025 — just a week after Caruso’s appointment to the clerk’s position. The boy described to investigators a sexual act that allegedly occurred while he and Caruso showered together on the cruise ship — while others in their party were told they had gone to get ice cream. The victim also told police of occasions where Caruso touched and tickled his genitals while the two were out at a pond fishing together, as well as during a game of “tickle monster” while they were outside playing soccer. When confronted with the victim’s disclosures in December, Caruso denied the allegations, according to the police affidavit. It also stated he told one of his sons: “Son, if you tell anyone I will get arrested. I will just go away. You tell anyone, I’m going to jail.” During a recorded February conversation, “Caruso asserted that the allegations were impossible because, in substance, sexual deviation is directed toward only one sex
rather than two, and because he is attracted to women he could not be a sex offender,” according to the affidavit. The governor’s executive order said: “Michael Allen Caruso is hereby prohibited from performing any official act, duty, or function of public office; from receiving any pay or allowance; and from being entitled to any of the emoluments or privileges of public office during the period of this suspension.” The suspension shall last “until a further executive order is issued, or otherwise provided by law,” it said. “I’m shocked. Everybody is shocked,” said a fellow Republican, Rep. Peggy Gossett-Seidman of Highland Beach, who served with Caruso in the state House. That sentiment was shared by a clerk’s office post on Facebook announcing that Caruso had been arrested for “serious” criminal charges. “While this is surprising news for our entire team, it does not change who we are at the Clerk’s office or our commitment to the community and customers we serve,” the post said. The office announced that Shannon Ramsey-Chessman
was named clerk ad interim for Palm Beach County by Chief Judge Glenn Kelley of the 15th Judicial Circuit. RamseyChessman has served as chief deputy clerk and in other administrative positions for the office since January 2021. Caruso is currently the Republican candidate in a November contest for the clerk of courts position against Boca Raton City Council member Yvette Drucker, a Democrat. At this point his name will appear on the ballot even if he were to withdraw from the race. Caruso was a CPA from Delray Beach when he was first elected to the state House in 2018, originally representing a district that stretched along the coast from Boca Raton to Singer Island. At the time he was appointed clerk, his district included most of Manalapan, the eastern part of Lantana, plus South Palm Beach and points north to Juno Beach. That latter seat is now held by Rep. Emily Gregory, a Democrat, who won a special election in March. P Rich Pollack contributed to this story.
22 News
The COASTAL STAR
September 2026
Along the Coast
License plate readers ordered off A1A, may land elsewhere By Steve Plunkett
While a new ban on license plate reader systems on state roads appears to threaten the cameras being used by area police as essential crime-fighting tools along State Road A1A, those agencies are optimistic they can keep theirs operating. The Florida Department of Transportation on Aug. 31 revoked permits to operate license plate readers, such as those by Flock Safety, and gave agencies 30 days to remove LPRs from the rights-of-way of all state roads, U.S. highways and interstates. But many of the local A1A cameras are on private property — and others can be moved there. The ban “is certainly going to be a blow for law enforcement across the state,” said Manalapan Police Chief Jeff Rasor, adding that his department would be looking for “alternate locations.” Moving the offending cameras elsewhere also appeared to be the route being taken in Ocean Ridge, Briny Breezes and Gulf Stream.
“We do have a few that were permitted on state roads and we are exploring relocating to private property,” Ocean Ridge Police Chief Scott McClure said. McClure called license plate readers “one of the most effective crime-solving tools we have seen in law enforcement.” “Our LPR system has helped us solve numerous burglaries, fraud cases, missing-person investigations, shootings, and cases involving stolen vehicles and license plates,” he said. “With the assistance of this technology and our officers’ proactive efforts, property crime in our town has decreased by 81% over the past three years.” But the cameras have also become embroiled in controversy. “While Florida law limits the issuance of permits for LPR systems to law enforcement agencies, the recent exponential increase in deployments along our roadways, coupled with concerning reports of misuse, data
privacy concerns and surveillance schemes merit immediate action to preserve Floridians’ sovereignty and quality of life,” Will Watts, FDOT’s assistant secretary, wrote in a memo to LPR permit holders. Gov. Ron DeSantis in August called the proliferation of LPRs “out of control” and said the state needs stronger laws on how data collected by such cameras is used. “When I see like a police officer using this to track like an ex-girlfriend, I’m like, ‘You know, what the hell’s going on with this?’” DeSantis said. Rasor said law enforcement officials who ignore privacy rights should be “disciplined severely” but that he had heard no complaints about the system from Manalapan residents. “The exact opposite,” Rasor said. Gulf Stream Police Chief Richard Jones, who said his town may have only one camera affected by the ban, also said
he has no problem with the governor’s call for stricter laws on the cameras. “First and foremost, I am not opposed to legislative changes and safeguards to protect the rights of citizens while also creating criminal penalties for misuse of the data or the system,” he said. Flock Safety, the main target of the FDOT action, also supported action by the Legislature. “Rather than banning a critical public safety tool, we support thoughtful legislation and strong privacy, transparency, and accountability guardrails that ensure technology is used responsibly while preserving law enforcement’s ability to use effective tools to keep people safe,” the company said in a statement. Some agencies were less clear on the impact of the state action. “We’re evaluating any cameras on State Road A1A,” was all that Highland Beach Police Chief Craig Hartmann would say. P
Lantana
Scaled-down plans for beach put safety, new boardwalk first “They’ll embrace the project, and they’ll see that we’re not overdeveloping the beach.” At previous workshops, staff suggested that extending the town’s ability to lease property for more than five years and selling town-owned property were possible ways to help fund projects like the beach redevelopment. However, the town’s existing charter language makes it difficult for these deals to happen in a timely fashion
By Patrick Sherry
The Lantana Town Council agrees Lantana Beach Park’s old, deteriorating boardwalk and pavilion need to go. Local leaders are supportive of a major renovation project there and are trying to alleviate concerns of wary residents that the plans are too grandiose. They are prioritizing replacing the boardwalk and removing the pavilion as the first renovation steps. The council discussed staff’s latest proposals at their workshop meeting on Aug. 10. Earlier this year, the council held a community workshop and released a survey the town did that revealed residents want to maintain the small-town character for which the beach is known. With that feedback in mind, town staff developed a multiphase plan with a “less is more” approach. The first phase, estimated to cost about $9.5 million, would include replacing the boardwalk, building a new two-story restaurant and event space, constructing a new northern restroom facility, and demolishing the Dune Deck Café and pavilion. Later improvements have yet to be decided. The town has no debt, but financing a project of this scale would still be difficult, especially
because they need voter support to move forward. The council supported continuing to look into creating a charter referendum that would ask voters to make it less complicated for the council to lease or sell town property. For now, town staff will revise parts of the beach redevelopment plan with the council’s feedback in mind and return with updated costs at a future meeting. P
Police memorial, historic church vandalized The Lantana Town Council is discussing plans to renovate the aging boardwalk and pavilion at Lantana Beach Park. The work will be done in phases to control costs. Photo provided with uncertainty over property tax reforms on the ballot this November. Instead of waiting for additional funding to become available, staff proposed completing the renovations incrementally, even if it may cost more. Building a new Dune Deck Café is still a top priority, but the pavilion and boardwalk may need to come first. “Ideally, we would like to do everything simultaneously, but it’s just not financially feasible to do that,” Town Manager Brian Raducci said. “If you wait for perfect timing, you’re never going to get there.”
Original plans were to build the new boardwalk in two phases, with a new extension reaching north toward the Imperial House condos. But the council wanted it all to be done at once, seeing the boardwalk as a safety issue because of its deterioration. “Safety is the first issue in my mind and go from there,” Council member Kem Mason said. New restrooms and rinse facilities included in the revised plan have yet to be designed. “I think when people see it, hopefully they’ll embrace it,” Raducci said of the plan.
Lantana police are searching for those who vandalized markers for fallen police officers at a memorial near Town Hall on Aug. 14. The spray-painting spree also targeted a historic church. The lawbreakers defaced the fallen officers’ memorial on Greynolds Circle. The stone monuments at the memorial bear the names of Lt. Alfred Garrison, who died Dec. 1, 2001, and Sgt. Andrew Redding, who died Feb. 12, 1974. In a Facebook post, Mayor Karen Lythgoe said the incidents were “hurtful to the people in the community.” She said she has lived in the town since 1965, when she was 5, and had never seen anything like this. “Disgusting and shameful don’t quite cover what I think of this,” she said. Police Chief Sean Scheller said the investigation “remains active/ open, and no suspects have been taken into custody.” The Anglican Catholic church involved was the Church of Holy Guardian Angels on Cardinal Lane. The church, built by Henry Flagler in 1894 and formerly known as the Minerva Chapel, is one of the oldest buildings in Palm Beach County. Anyone who knows anything about the vandalism is asked to call the Lantana Police Department at 561-540-5701. — Mary Thurwachter
September 2026
The COASTAL STAR
News 23
DOCKS
Continued from page 1 the ocean side of the town. He criticized that town’s ordinance as contradictory, claiming the language simultaneously does not establish new permitting requirements while prohibiting the construction of waterfront structures without a permit. “Honestly, I am dumbfounded, genuinely,” Lohman said. “People rarely surprise me, but this actually surprised me.”
Preparing to sue
Before the town can take South Palm Beach to court, Lantana officials need to initiate a state-required intergovernmental conflictresolution process, which its council approved on a unanimous vote. The town’s dispute with the Concordia West and East condos, at 3555 and 3560 S. Ocean Blvd., also continues, and officials said there are at least seven others that could construct a dock in what Lantana says is its jurisdiction. “This is a situation where we have to react to this and deal with it,” Lohman said. “Otherwise, you’re just going to have docks thrown in the water over there, and we’re going to be buying multiple lawsuits.” But South Palm Beach officials are just as adamant that any permitting of docks or other structures for South Palm Beach condos should come from their town. “My message to the town of South Palm Beach is that we have no option but to vigorously
South Palm Beach says it has zoning control over docks like this one, seen from the roof of Concordia West. The wooden dock, which Lantana says should be demolished, has a floating kayak launch. Hypoluxo Island is visible across the channel. Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star defend the right of our residents, for those property owners that live by the water to wharf out,” Mayor Rafael Pineiro said. “We have no choice but to take a position that we are a municipality, we will exercise our rights, and I will defend their right to do that. I don’t think we have a choice.”
A channel with a history
South Palm Beach Town Manager Jamie Titcomb said Lantana was not “playing nice” with permitting, so the recent ordinance was an attempt to take back control as he said South Palm had before 1994.
He also cited an attempt by both towns in 1994 to settle the dispute, but the effort ended without an agreement. To make sense of what’s happening now, you have to go back almost a century, as detailed in a 1961 Palm Beach Post story. Lantana’s original borders extended to the ocean, but in 1931 were pulled back to the eastern edge of the Intracoastal. When South Palm Beach incorporated in 1955, it set its boundary as the middle of the channel between the town and Hypoluxo Island. Lantana took the issue to the
state Legislature, which in 1959 asserted that the borders were as Lantana said.
Is a resolution possible?
Today, South Palm Beach’s situation is similar to one Lantana recently faced with the town of Palm Beach over 15 properties in the northernmost portion of Hypoluxo Island, along North Atlantic Drive. The water adjacent to those properties is in the town of Palm Beach’s waters. The two towns reached an agreement in June that allows Lantana to process permits for boat docks, piers, pilings, boat lifts, floating
docks and related structures. While Lantana will use its own permitting standards and codes when reviewing applications, the agreement also indemnifies the town of Palm Beach from any claims or liabilities arising from its adherence to the agreement. Titcomb was asked if something like that would work between South Palm Beach and Lantana. “Will we get something like that? I don’t know,” Titcomb said. “I’m hoping we don’t get to the point of litigation, but I’ve expressed to their officials and others that I’m quite confident that on the legal issues we will prevail” because Lantana is interfering with the riparian rights of property owners that are protected by the state. Lantana sent a certified copy of the resolution to South Palm Beach requesting a meeting for the conflict assessment. That meeting will take place at 1 p.m. Sept. 18 at Lantana Town Hall. If the dispute is not resolved, the resolution authorizes town officials to pursue legal action to protect Lantana’s jurisdiction and authority. “If things degenerate to the point that we would have to sue another municipality, this is a prerequisite that we must complete in order to move forward,” Lohman said. Council member Jesse Rivero said, “I hope their attorney and their town manager can maybe talk some decency or some sense.” P Robert Haughn and Mary Thurwachter contributed to this story.
Lantana
Four-year investigation faults town for Nature Preserve recordkeeping By Steve Plunkett
The Palm Beach County inspector general has mildly rebuked town officials’ recordkeeping in two complaints about the Lantana Nature Preserve but dismissed two other complaints for lack of evidence. In a 49-page investigative report issued in April, the Office of Inspector General said it opened an investigation in 2022 after receiving complaints from an unnamed town council member and from resident Media Beverly. Specifically, the office investigated whether the town improperly dissolved the Lantana Nature Preserve in 2016, whether it inappropriately used funds received earmarked for the preserve from The Carlisle assisted congregate living facility, whether it hired a contractor without making sure that the contractor had registered with the town or had insurance, and whether it made sure the contractor obtained a permit before removing a protected gumbo limbo from the preserve or the tree was replaced. The upscale Carlisle next
door makes an annual payment to the town of at least $40,000 with yearly adjustments to maintain the preserve. Investigators for the inspector general looked at numbers from fiscal years 2020 and 2021 and decided there was not sufficient documentation for $32,000 spent on maintenance each year, labeling the total $64,000 as “questioned costs.” Deborah Manzo, town manager in those years, told them “that she calculated indirect costs based on information provided to her about staff time and equipment used.” Eddie Crockett, the town’s public services director, told investigators the $64,000 represented “non-itemized or administrative” costs of maintaining the Nature Preserve. The report concluded that the allegation that funds from The Carlisle were inappropriately used was “partially supported.” Investigators also could partially support the allegation about contractor Ask Russ LLC registering with the town before doing landscaping work at the preserve and having the proper insurance.
“The OIG found no evidence that Ask Russ registered with the town as required, but the OIG did not identify a town policy or procedure requiring specific insurance for this work,” the report said. After reviewing town ordinances and interviewing Manzo and Mary Lacorazza, a former member of the Lantana Nature Preserve Commission, investigators concluded that they could not support the allegation that the preserve commission was improperly dissolved. Similarly, they could not confirm that Ask Russ needed to pull a permit to remove the gumbo limbo tree. Crockett sent the inspector general photos of the tree “after it was blown over during a storm,” the report said. “This activity (removing a broken tree from blocking the walking trail) did not require certification from an Arborist and therefore did not violate an ordinance,” Crockett wrote the office. In the end the OIG recommended that the town: • Establish a dedicated accounting structure for the Nature Preserve so that
all related revenues and expenditures are recorded and tracked together. • Verify and document, before contract execution and before the work begins, that all hired contractors be properly insured in accordance with applicable town ordinances, and that the documentation of these actions be retained. • Adopt written policies and procedures requiring contractors performing tree
trimming, tree removal or related work in the Nature Preserve to maintain adequate insurance coverage in an amount specified by the town before work begins and throughout the contract term. In a May 5 response, current Town Manager Brian Raducci said the town concurred with all three recommendations and would take steps to implement them. P
New town clerk sworn in Maria Rios, Lantana’s new town clerk, was sworn in on Aug. 27. She previously served as deputy town clerk and assistant to the town manager for three years. As part of the town administration team, she assisted departments throughout the organization. Rios, 29, lives in Broward County. Outside of work, she enjoys singing, going to the movies and working out at the gym. “I’m very thankful for this opportunity and excited to continue giving my best to the town and our community,” she said. “I truly enjoy serving our residents and supporting my coworkers in any way I can, and I look forward to continuing to contribute Rios in my new role.” Rios replaces Kathleen Dominguez, who resigned in June after serving as clerk since January 2020. Since July 2023, Dominguez had worked remotely from Nashville, Tennessee, where her husband is employed. — Mary Thurwachter
24 News
The COASTAL STAR
September 2026
Boca Raton
$6.3 million construction underway on Federal Highway downtown By Steve Plunkett
Expect driving downtown on Federal Highway in Boca Raton to be more challenging through fall of next year. Work has begun on what the state calls a “lane repurposing and resurfacing project” on 1.3 miles of the highway from Camino Real to Northeast Eighth Street/Mizner Boulevard. The first step was closing the inside lanes of both northbound and southbound Federal between Southeast Eighth Street and Southeast Fifth Street on Aug. 24 and continuing through Sept. 11. The $6.3 million project consists of milling and resurfacing the highway and repurposing the roadway from Camino Real to Southeast Mizner Boulevard/Southeast Fifth Street by eliminating the 11-foot outside lanes and narrowing the median to provide 5-foot separated bike lanes and 11-foot-wide sidewalks. That stretch currently
has 6-foot-wide sidewalks and 4-foot-wide, unbuffered bike lanes. Bicyclists will be separated from motorists by 2 feet of raised concrete and 2 feet of sod; there will be 4 feet of sod between the bicyclists and the sidewalks. The project also will narrow the median from Southeast Mizner Boulevard/Southeast Fifth Street to Northeast Mizner/Northeast Eighth Street to provide 5-foot separated bike lanes; add a new signalized mid-block crosswalk with increased lighting south of Plaza Real, and upgrade pedestrian push buttons and signal heads at signalized intersections throughout the project corridor. Existing traffic signals with mast arms at the intersection of Federal Highway and Camino Real will be replaced; a second left-turn lane at the intersection of northbound Federal and Camino Real will be added to improve intersection operations and capacity; curb ramps and pedestrian detectors will be
The portion of the Federal Highway construction project between Camino Real and Southeast Fifth Street/Mizner Boulevard will remove one travel lane in each direction, create buffered bike lanes, and widen the sidewalks. Rendering provided and Staff Photo/The Coastal Star modified to meet ADA criteria; and signing and pavement markings will be replaced and upgraded to improve visibility and accessibility. As usual, work will be done in phases to reduce the
impacts of construction on the community, temporary lane closures will be done mostly during non-peak hours, and access to residences and businesses — along with pedestrian traffic —
will be maintained during construction, the Florida Department of Transportation said. Construction is scheduled to continue through autumn 2027.P
Along the Coast
Ocean Ridge, Boynton consider joint water authority that could include others
Ocean Ridge and Boynton Beach are exploring the idea of creating an independent water authority to control and operate the city’s drinking water facilities. The separate utility could also include other current and future communities receiving Boynton Beach water, such as Gulf Stream, Briny Breezes and Hypoluxo. Ocean Ridge Town Manager Michelle Heiser briefed her commission on the discussions at an Aug. 31 budget workshop, and Boynton Beach city commissioners will hear a presentation at their Sept. 16 meeting. Town commissioners said they’re willing to investigate the idea and Heiser identified $300,000 in the budget — if needed — for reports or consultants.
Boynton Beach is talking with Palm Beach County about the county taking over the city’s utility, so its commission has competing possibilities to weigh. But Deputy City Manager Andrew Mack, who met with Heiser and attended the workshop, said, “It does look like this would be the direction we would go.” A benefit for Ocean Ridge would be to allow the town to move its infrastructure burdens — the town is about $3 million into a $30 million water pipe replacement plan, Heiser said — over to the authority. Officials compared the proposal to the Seacoast Utility Authority, established in 1988, that serves some 56,000 households in Palm Beach Gardens, North Palm Beach, Lake Park, Juno Beach and some unincorporated areas of North County.
In basic terms, it’s also like the South Central Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant, serving Delray Beach and Boynton Beach, that has an appointed governing board and provides sewer services.
— Larry Barszewski
Road work to solve water neglect
Work on a $1.9 million water main improvement project along a 2-mile stretch of State Road A1A in Ocean Ridge is expected to be completed by the end of the year, contractors told town commissioners in August. Extending from Corrine Street to Ocean Avenue, the project will increase water pressure and enhance fire protection, contractors said. Fire hydrants on the west side of the road are
also being replaced. W. Clark Cryer, president of the Lantana-based Johnson-Davis underground utility company, said traffic snarls are inevitable. The project is using portable traffic signals that let vehicles pass in a single lane. “Like any improvements, there are growing pains,” he said. “It’s like you get sore when you work out — you get bumps and bruises,” he said. But, he said, he was hopeful the impact would be minimal. Since work began in July, regular updates have been posted on the town’s social media platforms. Those interested in receiving text alerts on their phones can do so by signing up on the town’s website, oceanridge.gov. P
— Jane Musgrave
South Palm Beach
Council going ahead with scaled-down Town Hall renovations
By Robert Haughn South Palm Beach, which just months ago was planning to spend $7 million or more to replace its aging Town Hall, is now moving forward with a makeover officials say will do the job for around $1 million. The Town Council voted unanimously at its Aug. 11 meeting to have Town Manager Jamie Titcomb start working with the selected contractors to begin the process of renovating the building. “At the end of these series of projects, we hope to have a shiny, new-old building with new repurposing and new services and new uses and new lifespan,” Titcomb said. The most expensive item on the project list is replacing the building’s roof for $118,750. The town also plans on updating the
bathrooms to ADA standards for $80,000, replacing the flooring for $62,000, painting the inside and outside of the building, and replacing fire exit doors, stairs and railings. It might also remove the garage door in front of the building and replace it with hurricane-proof glass to turn it into a multipurpose space. The town also expects to remove the existing maintenance building wing due to its being separated from the main building and sinking into the ground. The shift from replacing Town Hall to renovating it came after the town’s seismic March elections, which saw the mayor and two council members ousted by a three-candidate slate opposed to the plans, who are now known in town as Mayor Rafael Pineiro, Vice Mayor Francesca Attardi and Council
member Adrian Burcet. The previous Town Council majority had authorized the building of a new Town Hall building in June 2024, but Pineiro and the others campaigned on keeping the original building. “We actually got elected because we felt like the majority of people in South Palm Beach felt that the building was sufficient for our needs,” Pineiro said. “So, as soon as we got elected, we canceled it.” The project was well into development when it was suspended. Titcomb said that there was around $500,000 spent to execute the plans. The town even had bids coming in for the project two days before it was suspended. Titcomb said that the main benefit of moving forward with this renovation instead of the
new building is the cost. “They’re not spending the $7 million to $9 million that they were going to spend on the new building,” Titcomb said. “We’re going to spend around a million.” Titcomb said there were other cost-saving factors in this option. This included the Town Council’s suspending the original project as opposed to outright canceling it. That allowed the town to use data and information it had already compiled from environmental testing, utilities and other aspects instead of starting from scratch. While the project has a $777,200 ceiling, certain costs are not estimated yet, including parking lot renovations and landscaping. However, Titcomb said that there is not too much concern
on outstanding costs and that they were partially accounted for, with 25% of the price ceiling being allocated as a contingency. One potential issue with renovating the building instead of moving forward with the new one is future flood risk. The original plans included elevating the Town Hall building by one story to meet current Federal Emergency Management Agency standards. “Every one of the condos in the town, they all have base floors with first-floor units that are in the same boat as we are,” Titcomb said. “If a big hurricane comes through and these buildings get compromised, we’ll all be dealing with the same kind of restorations and response efforts we would be dealing with anyway.” Continued on the next page
The COASTAL STAR
September 2026
Obituaries/News 25
Obituaries
Howard ‘Chip’ Emerson Nestor Wilson
VILLAGE OF GOLF — Howard “Chip” Emerson Nestor Wilson, a distinguished healthy and fit husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle and friend, was struck and killed Aug. 9 as he returned to his car after dinner with his beloved wife, Patti, in Polson, Montana. He was 74. Although his death was sudden, he had just spent two wonderful weeks surrounded by family and friends at his home on Flathead Lake, Montana. He was a devoted family man who lived a full and meaningful life. He and his sister, Kay, took a float trip in Glacier National Park the day before the accident. Mr. Wilson was born on Sept. 11, 1951, in Easton, Maryland, to Harry Norman Wilson and Kathleen Nestor Wilson. He often dreamed of returning to his Eastern Shore hometown, where life moved with the seasons, duck hunting in the fall, oysters in the winter, crabs, corn, and tomatoes in the summer. He enjoyed an idyllic childhood with his three older siblings, who looked after their baby brother until the very end. He graduated from Easton High School in 1969. A natural athlete, he played football, basketball, tennis, diving, golf and track. He continued to show off his diving skills whenever possible, including his children’s favorite, the “gainer into a can opener,” off the high dive at the Ocean Club in Ocean Ridge. After high school, Mr. Wilson followed in the footsteps of his father, brother and sister and attended the University of Maryland, an institution he never quite forgave for leaving the ACC to join the Big Ten. During his college years, he studied business, joined the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity, and made lifelong friends whom he continued to visit. But the most important event to come from his time in College Park was meeting and falling in love with Patti McCarthy. The two were married on Dec. 28, 1974, and set off on life’s great adventure, a marriage that would remain devoted for 52 years. Later in life, Mr. Wilson converted from Episcopalian to Catholic, walking alongside Patti in faith just as he had in everything else. The happy couple moved to Easton after getting married and welcomed their first son, Kiely, in the same hospital where Mr. Wilson was born. A few years later, after a move to Annapolis, they welcomed their daughter, Megan, the apple of his eye, and then their third child, Garrett, born in 1984, who made their family complete. Mr. Wilson is lovingly remembered for his faithful presence at sporting events for his three children and nine grandchildren. He adored his family, and they felt that love every day. His last act was a gentlemanly one, as always, safely From the previous page With the current project, the renovations cannot exceed half the building’s value, or FEMA rules would require the costly task of bringing the entire building into full compliance with FEMA’s current flood safety codes — including elevating the building. Titcomb is comfortable with the switch to renovating Town Hall. “You can debate whether the new building might have taken us out 30 years or 40 years, or the renovated building might take us out 10 to 15 years,” Titcomb said. “But it gives the time to figure out what its long-term needs are, and it’s going to take the deteriorated condition of the Town Hall off the table because it’ll be fixed.” P
putting Patti in the car before the accident that took his life. His banking career began in Annapolis at Maryland National Bank, and later continued at American Security Bank in Washington, D.C., where he attended Loyola University at night to earn his MBA in 1984. His hard work paid off when Toby Callaway offered him a job at U.S. Trust Co. in Palm Beach, where Mr. Wilson spent 13 years running the Florida office. In 1999, he moved his family to Philadelphia, taking his career and his impact to new heights as CEO of U.S. Trust’s mid-Atlantic region, and along the way became an avid Eagles and Phillies fan. In 2004, he joined Glenmede Trust Co. in a senior executive role, where he flourished for the next 20 years, opening offices in New York City and Palm Beach. Mr. Wilson valued family, philanthropy and traditional values, and he carried that commitment into every community he joined. He was an active board member of the Country Club of Florida and chaired the membership committee at the Gulf Stream Bath and Tennis Club. He also belonged to numerous other clubs, including the Everglades Club, Merion Golf Club, Merion Cricket Club, the Fourth Street Club of Philadelphia, the Union League of Philadelphia, and Eagle Bend Golf Club in Montana. He also gave his time to the United Way of Palm Beach and Mural Arts Philadelphia. In retirement, visiting family, playing golf, club leadership, and travel kept him enthusiastically engaged. He is survived by Patti, his wife of 52 years; his son Kiely of Cherry Hills Village, Colorado, his wife, Merel, and their three children, Charlotte, William, and Rosalie; his daughter Megan Schroeder of Bernardsville, New Jersey, her husband, Steve, and their three children, Emerson, Trey, and Grace; his son Garrett of Wayne, Pennsylvania, his wife, Diana, and their three children, Glory, Shepherd, and Carter; and his sister Kay Determan of San Diego. He was preceded in death by his parents, his sister Lynne and his brother, Norman. Mr. Wilson leaves behind a legacy of kindness, love, loyalty, and good humor. A true gentleman whose unwavering presence will be missed by all who knew him. A celebration of life will be held on Friday, Sept. 11 at 10 a.m. at Basilica of St. Edward, 144 N. County Road, Palm Beach. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial donations be made to The Boys and Girls Club of the Flathead Reservation, Gulf Stream School or The Everglades Foundation. — Submitted by family
South Palm Beach News Meeting time change — The Town Council voted 4-1 at its Aug.
11 meeting to move the time of its regular monthly meetings from 2 to 6 p.m. Vice Mayor Francesca Attardi argued that the town was split between retiree and working-class populations almost evenly, meaning many residents would not be available for the town meetings that have been earlier in the day. Council member Sandra Beckett, the lone vote against the switch, said 65% of the population of the town is over 65, and 6 p.m. would fall around dinner time for much of the town’s population. She also said that the new time could exclude condo managers and board executives, as the meeting time would fall outside of their normal business days. The council’s meeting times started out late and have gradually moved to earlier times of day before the new shift. They were initially held at 8 or 8:30 p.m. starting in 1955, moved to 7:30 p.m. in 1970, to 7 p.m. in 2010, to 4 p.m. in 2020, then to 2 p.m. in 2023.
Sharon Allen Kirkland MANALAPAN — Sharon Allen Kirkland, a frequent volunteer in town, died Aug. 7. She was 84. Born Nov. 12, 1941, to Joe and Lillian Allen (née Corinth) in Wilmington, Delaware, Mrs. Kirkland grew up in Westport, Connecticut, where she graduated from Staples High School before attending the University of Arizona. She began working as a flight attendant for World Airways, helping transport soldiers between Vietnam and the United States when she wasn’t on commercial trips. After landing in Tampa on one such passenger flight, she met Bob Kirkland; three weeks and a few endearing nicknames later — in April 1966 — the two were married. They spent the following 60 years adventuring around the world with each other and their three children, exploring dozens of countries. Mrs. Kirkland worked as a real estate agent in St. Louis, Missouri, Washington, D.C., and Palm Beach for most of her life — but more important, she served as a cornerstone of her community. She was chair of the Architectural Commission for Manalapan, volunteered at the library, and served as a polling clerk and trainer there for many years. She could regularly be seen walking her beloved dog, Charley, throughout town and stopping to chat with anyone she met. Mrs. Kirkland loved volunteering, gardening, biking, spending time with family, and any other project she could get her hands on. “She will be remembered not only for her many years of volunteerism and civic involvement, but also for the kindness, warmth and laughs she shared with everyone she met,” Manalapan Mayor John Deese said. She is survived by her husband, Bob; her children, Sean, Paget and Whitney; her five grandchildren, Lilly, Lexi, Lauren, Alexander and Liam; and a wide network of friends and family. She left them all with countless memories and endless wisdom, including: Dance whenever you can, start your morning with fresh fruit, know what to do in case you encounter a bear, dress in fun clothes and bright colors, say hi to everyone you pass on the street, send that letter checking in on old friends, and above all else, JDI (just do it). A celebration of life was held Aug. 15 at the National Croquet Club in West Palm Beach. In lieu of flowers, please consider a contribution in her memory to the J. Turner Moore Memorial Library, 1330 Lands End Road, Manalapan.
— Submitted by family
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26 Business Spotlight
The COASTAL STAR
September 2026
Business Spotlight
Hurricane Alley closing as new construction gets ready to start
H
urricane Alley Raw Bar and Restaurant, a favorite for locals on East Ocean Avenue in Boynton Beach, will be closing Sept. 25 — at least until spring — while developers build it a new home just north of its current space. The finality of the closing of the restaurant’s home for the past 30 years — though long-expected after the city’s Community Redevelopment Agency approved a mixeduse development for the land in 2021 — still hit owner Kim Kelly hard. She posted on social media on Aug. 25 that she received an email from her landlord, Affiliated Development, giving her 30 days to vacate. An emotional Kelly was taken aback by “the sudden notice,” as she called it. “They never put it in writing that I’d have to close before they broke ground.” She said, “It was implied that I’d still be open until they broke ground. I knew I had to move, but they haven’t even broken ground.” Her current building is to be demolished to make way for The Pierce project, 115 N. Federal Highway, which Affiliated is building. It will be on the west side of Federal, from Ocean Avenue to Boynton Beach Boulevard, extending westward to the Florida East Coast Railway tracks. A September 2024 phasing plan given to the city shows the building’s demolition preceding project construction. That construction is expected to take 21 months, but Kelly’s restaurant — which developers have agreed to build first near the tracks on Boynton Beach Boulevard — could move into its new space in the spring, on a temporary partial certificate of occupancy through the city. The city will do what it can so the restaurant reopens with minimal delays, Deputy City Manager Adam Temple said in an email to The Coastal Star. “We remain committed to continuing to assist and expedite the construction of The Pierce project to ensure that this longstanding business can open as quickly as possible, with minimal interruptions,” Temple wrote. Jeff Burns, Affiliated’s CEO, said Kelly has been in all the meetings where a possible timeline was discussed. The project is large, with many moving components, Burns said, and a firm timeline for any part of it is elusive. “She always knew there would be closure. Until we had all the permitting, we couldn’t give her a date,” Burns said. As soon as the company could finalize the timeline for demolition and groundbreaking, it sent the notice, he said. The lengthy approval process that started in 2021 was delayed most recently by the city’s settling a lawsuit with a third party, Burns said. Once it was
200 W. Coconut Palm Road in Boca Raton’s Royal Palm Yacht & Country Club for $22.12 million. The buyers are a trust that belongs to Jeffrey and Christine Hardin, owners and co-CEOs of the construction firm Straticon. First Horizon Bank provided them with an $8.5 million mortgage. The home is sited on 1.04 acres with 298 feet of frontage on a canal that leads to the Intracoastal Waterway. The property last sold for $10.9 million in 2008. Serhant agent Gary Pohrer held the listing.
Staff and customers flank Hurricane Alley owner Kim Kelly (center). The restaurant will be shut at least until spring as it awaits construction of a new home. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star settled, the project’s funding had to be renewed. That happened in July, with Boynton Beach agreeing to fast-track $7 million in tax increment financing, which gave Affiliated the green light to proceed with the project. The eight-story, $105 million complex will have 300 apartments and 17,000 square feet of retail space, along with a parking garage. Hurricane Alley’s new space is designed as two stories with a central bar and patios on both levels. It is not possible for it to stay open during construction, Burns said, calling it a “massive safety concern.” He said his firm is committed to working with Kelly. “We will do everything in our power to mitigate her move,” he said. “We designed her new restaurant for free. I’ve honored my deal with the rent we negotiated five years ago. She’s getting the deal of the century.” Kelly was emotional, saying she can’t comment on “a lot of things.” But she denied the verbal agreement of only 30 days’ notice, and said the groundbreaking date “was moved several times. From August to September to October.” When asked if the move to The Pierce will happen, she said, “That was the plan. Right now I’m just trying to process this sudden notice. We have to do whatever is right for our business, the employees and the community.” While planning a closing day party, she said mostly she worries for her workers and their livelihood. Since the closing was announced, Kelly said many local restaurateurs have come forward offering potential jobs for workers — and fundraisers are being planned to offer additional support to her crew during the downtime. “I will survive,” Kelly said. “The community is rallying around me. I will come back stronger.” — Jan Norris
The Boynton Beach Historical Society’s book, now available on Amazon, has 40 vignettes from residents covering the city’s history from the 1940s to the 2000s. Cover image provided The Boynton Beach Historical Society’s new book, The Boynton We Remember: Stories, Photographs, and Memories from Our Community, arrived on Amazon in mid-August, with the society scheduling a book launch for 1 p.m. Sept. 26 at the Boynton Beach City Library. Lantana resident Janet Naughton, the society’s secretary and former president, said the book was meant to come out in 2018 to celebrate the historical society’s 50th anniversary, “but it was put on a back burner.” Naughton got it moving again in March. “We only had a few stories that were passed along to me, and I said, ‘Let’s make it happen,’” she said. “We just asked for personal recollections and photographs through our Facebook group and our entire program list of members and friends.” As a result, “the book has 40 vignettes, all varied, from the 1940s to the 2000s,” she said. “Many photos come from the local history and archives housed at the Boynton Beach
City Library. The Boynton Beach Historical Society and the library have been collecting Boynton history for over 50 years and are thrilled to have published this book of voices.” The initial reception for the book was rewarding, Naughton added. “I confirmed that 105 books were shipped to individual buyers through Amazon during the first six days after the book’s release. It’s proving to be popular.” And now, people are asking for a second volume, she said. “All of a sudden everyone has a story.” The book’s list price is $20. Proceeds will support the historical society. With 250 members, including 27 Life Members, the society holds monthly meetings from October through April. It will present a Highwaymen art show and sale in January and Naughton will lead history tours of Boynton Beach, local cemeteries and historic sights. For more information, visit boyntonhistory.org/events. The sale of 1960 S. Ocean Blvd., Manalapan, previously owned by Stewart Satter, now appears complete, with the second portion of the 4-acre lot recorded on July 30. Florida Realty LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, with a post office address in Walnut Creek, California, bought the south side of the property for $34.4 million. Florida Realty has the official corporate mailing address for The Larry Ellison Foundation and The Lawrence J. Ellison Revocable Trust. Previously reported, WeatherTech founder and CEO David F. MacNeil purchased the northern half for $32 million in June. The Novelly Dynasty Trust II, with the family members of late oil executive Paul Novelly as trustees, sold a 17,020-square-foot home at
John R. Hargrove and his wife, Mary Cheryl Hargrove, sold their home at 1642 Sabal Palm Drive in Boca Raton’s Royal Palm Yacht & Country Club for $21.5 million. The buyer was 1642 Sabal Palm Trust, with attorney Jose L. Lorenzo as trustee. The seven-bedroom, 9,370-squarefoot home is sited on a 0.37acre lot along the golf course. The Hargroves bought the property in February 2025 for $6 million. David Roberts of Royal Palm Properties represented the sellers in the deal, while Caron Dockerty of Douglas Elliman worked with the buyer. VS Boynton LLC, managed through Birmingham, Michigan-based ValStone Advisors, sold The Opal at Boynton Beach, an assisted living facility at 1935 S. Federal Highway, for $15.1 million. The buyer was Boynton Beach Propco LLC, associated with New York-based Cammeby’s International Group, led by Daniel Kunstlinger and Eli Schron. The 127-unit, 87,683-squarefoot facility was built on the 4.34-acre site in 1989. It includes nursing care service, on-site dining and a pool. The property last traded in 2016 for $6.7 million. True Floridian Realty’s FurBaby Group is a sponsor of the EJS Project Golf Classic at Westchester Country Club in Boynton Beach, which will take place on Oct. 17. The EJS Project is a nonprofit organization that provides a safe space for Palm Beach County teens, and all proceeds from the tournament will benefit its teen leadership and development initiatives. To register, become a sponsor or learn more about the event, visit ejsproject.org/golfclassic-2026/. Florida Atlantic University’s Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters presents “Created Equal: America’s 250Year Constitutional Journey,” with Yale law professor Akhil Reed Amar, at 2 p.m. Sept. 18 at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, Boca Raton campus. Continued on the next page
The COASTAL STAR
September 2026
Amar’s talk will be based on insights from his book, Born Equal: Remaking America’s Constitution, 1840-1920. To Amar purchase tickets, which are $20, visit fauevents.com. The Greater Lantana Chamber of Commerce is offering its Leadership Program, which is designed to educate, connect and empower small business leaders. This seven-month experience — one day a month, starting Sept. 23 and ending March 25 — includes behind-the-scenes tours, hands-on projects and direct access to the people and places shaping the region. Applications are open and spots are limited to 40 people. The price is $350 for members and $400 for nonmembers. To register or for more info, email lantanainfo@lantanachamber. com or visit lantanachamber. com. The League of Women Voters of Palm Beach County will host a free Election Expo from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Sept. 28 at the Palm Beach State College Gymnasium, 4200 S. Congress Ave., Lake Worth Beach. This nonpartisan event is designed to help voters be informed before they cast their ballots this year. The league also plans to host events where voters can meet and hear from candidates running in races for school board and judicial, municipal, state and national offices. For more details, visit LWVPBC. org. Recently, the league announced it has a new leadership team. Janet Elinoff, now president, Elinoff is a wealth management adviser and chair of the league’s speakers bureau. The second vice president is Debbie Oistacher, a retired educator and league member since 2022. Mary Sue Donohue is secretary. She is a retired attorney and a league member since 1979. The treasurer is Melissa Gannon, manager of financial planning and partner at Castle Wealth Management. AffordableHousing. com and the Delray Beach Housing Authority gave away 650 children’s backpacks with school supplies at their annual Backpack Giveaway in July. “Safe, affordable housing is just one piece of the puzzle for the communities we serve,” said Richard Cupelli, founder and CEO of AffordableHousing. com. “Education plays an equally vital role in creating pathways to opportunity and lasting equity. When we invest in children, we empower families, and in turn, build stronger, more resilient
communities.” The Jewish Foundation for the Righteous selected 14 middle and high school teachers and Holocaust center personnel from five states to participate in its 2026 European Study Program in Poland. Among them was Julie Gates of Loggers’ Run Middle School, Boca Raton. The program, which includes visits to concentration camps, ghetto sites and Holocaust memorials, is designed to help educators learn about the Holocaust experientially so they can present it in an insightful way to their students and colleagues. The Research Park at Florida Atlantic University recently reported $610 million in annual economic impact across Palm Beach and Broward counties for 2025. Companies in the park
generated $445 million in direct expenditures, which produced an additional $165 million indirectly. The Research Park is home to more than 49 companies in industries that include aviation, AI, healthcare, medical and life sciences, software and cybersecurity. Ventures in the park supported 1,505 jobs and produced $174 million in labor earnings, with an average annual salary of $115,768. “In addition to supporting research and collaboration, the Research Park at Florida Atlantic is a workforce engine that creates high-paying jobs, brings groundbreaking technologies to our community, and prepares the next generation of innovators,” said Andrew S. Duffell, president of the park. The Golf Club at The Boca Raton will reopen in late fall following a comprehensive
Business Spotlight 27
$25 million reimagination of its 18-hole course led by architect Brian Silva. The project also will deliver a new practice facility, 53 rebuilt bunkers, a fully modern irrigation system, and two new places to eat: Greg’s on the Green and Greg’s Grab & Go. Silva’s design asks more of a golfer, he says, with “greater challenges on some shots than the previous course had. Angles are very important in golf course design. It really opened up the possibility of making a course for all caliber of players and making a course for the contemporary game.” Play is available to members of the club, their guests and resort guests. Basis Industrial, an owner and operator of industrial and self-storage assets headquartered in Delray Beach, recently expanded its executive leadership team. Anthony
Scavo
Patel
Scavo is now CEO and managing partner and Nisha Patel is its chief operating officer. Daniel Weinstein now serves as founder, chairman of the advisory board and investment committee member; Jay Massirman and Stephen Garchik serve as cochairmen of the advisory board and investment committee members; and Aubrey Strul serves as a member of the advisory board. Send business news to Christine Davis at davis9797 @ gmail.com.
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The COASTAL STAR
September 2026
INSIDE:
Lake Worth Playhouse receives transformational donation. Page AT5 Philanthropy Notes - Page AT2 Health & Harmony - Page AT8 On the Water - Page AT11 Religion Notes - Page AT12 Calendar - Page AT18
September 2026
LEFT: The catalog shows some people available for conversations during Living Library sessions, which ran for two weeks in July. BELOW: From left are Kianna Muckle, Lantana library assistant and project coordinator; Shari Boochay, who discussed her life as an immigrant; Linda Rosen, author; Kelsey Hamm, polyamory/nonbinary; Sara Garcia, dance teacher; Darcy Gordon, bipolar disorder; Glenn Mendez, on ’The Trajectory of Life’; Lisa Keough, guidance counselor; Kristine Kreidler, library director and organ transplant recipient; Sarsy Nix, ’Life is Full of Surprises’; Quanteria Jones, ’An Untraditional Life’; Raquel King, flight attendant and author. Photos by Tim Stepien/ The Coastal Star
Lantana’s Living Library By Ron Hayes
At the Lantana Public Library, books can be checked out for two weeks. If it’s a very long book, or you’re a very slow reader, you can renew it for another two weeks. You can renew it up to five times, if no one else is waiting for it. And for two weeks in July, you could have checked out an actual human being. But only for 30 minutes. “We’re trying to foster connection,” explained Kristine Kreidler, the library’s
Dining
Take advantage of restaurant discounts this month. Page AT10
High Holy Days
director, “and a library is the perfect place to get people off their phones and having faceto-face conversations.” They called the program a Living Library. “The concept began in Europe about 20 years ago,” says Kianna Muckle, the library assistant who organized the event along with Kreidler. “Over there, they call it the Human Library.” Lantana’s Living Library is a glorified, and glorious, metaphor. People with interesting professions or unusual lives volunteer to be “books” visitors
Our listing of local High Holy Days events. Page AT14
Pets
can “check out” for 30-minute conversations. Kreidler and Muckle reached out on Facebook, Instagram and other social media sites, and gathered 17 locals who agreed to sit in the library’s study room in twohour shifts, chatting with any visitors who dropped by. This was the first time the Lantana library added human beings to its collection. When the Living Library opened for business on July 20, the collection of human books included an adoptee, a flight attendant, a See LIBRARY on page AT4
Who’s going to care for your furry friends after you die? Page AT15
Tots & Teens
Girls can find inspiration and, yes, courage, in Courage Club. Page AT16
AT2 Philanthropy Notes
The COASTAL STAR
September 2026
Philanthropy Notes
Witches of Delray scaring up October events for Achievement Centers
The 15th annual BETR Project’s Witches of Delray benefiting Achievement Centers for Children & Families is planning a fun-filled October to support local residents. First is the second annual Witches Night Out, from 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 1 at Good Night John Boy. Hosted by Oceans for Kids Foundation, the event will offer small bites, tacos from Talkin’ Tacos and special guests from Delray Beach Ghost Tours. Tickets are $75 through Sept. 13, $95 after. Then, on Oct. 7, Tim Finnegans Irish Pub hosts Witches Trivia Night from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m.; costumes are encouraged for this free event. On Oct. 16 at Tim Finnegans, the 12th annual Witches Brew is from 6 to 9 p.m. Tickets are $50 through Oct. 2, $75 after. The 15th annual Witches of Delray Bike Ride is Oct. 24 along with costume contests, decorated bikes and team themes. Tickets are $75 through Oct. 2, $100 after. Registration is at 7 a.m. at City Hall with the ride at 8 and post-ride festivities at 9 at Old School Square. For sponsorship or other information, contact Gina Griffin at 954-232-3806 or GGriffin@DelrayChild.org. “Fifteen years in, the Witches Ride is more than just a tradition — it's a celebration of community and creativity,” said Stephanie Seibel, CEO of the
programs across the nation designed to help people live better with Parkinson’s disease by providing support for health, wellness and educational needs.
New CEO, board chief at YWCA Palm Beach County
Participants in one of the 2025 Witches of Delray events included (l-r) Kachi Montalvo, Megan Hanley, Tori Ross, Lauren Kennedy, Leslie Murrell and Rachel Cooke. Photo provided by Debra Somerville Achievement Centers. “What began as a fun, whimsical event has grown into powerful support for the families we serve. Each year, we’re blown away by the enthusiasm and generosity that fills the streets. “It’s a beautiful reminder of what’s possible when people come together for a cause that truly matters. We remain deeply grateful to the founders whose vision 15 years ago made this tradition possible.”
Children, caregivers attend Summer Foster Family Bash Speak Up for Kids drew nearly 100 children and caregivers to the fifth annual Velocity Summer Foster Family Bash on July 22 at Drive Shack in West Palm Beach. Velocity Community Credit
Union sponsored the celebration for the fifth year, providing an afternoon of relaxation for foster and relative caregiver families. Volunteers helped the children learn golf, while families were treated to lunch, a photo booth, toys, gift cards and more. “There is a desperate need for more foster parents in Palm Beach County, but no family should ever feel they must take this journey alone,” said Coleen LaCosta, executive director of Speak Up for Kids. A student-led initiative from the Speak Up chapter at Spanish River High School became part of the Summer Bash, as a special check presentation brought $5,000 to provide bicycle helmets for foster children. The donation came from the Delray Medical Center Hospital Board.
New wildlife exhibit at Children’s Museum
Community leaders, elected officials, donors and longtime supporters gathered July 29 at Schoolhouse Children’s Museum, 129 E. Ocean Ave., Boynton Beach, to celebrate the ribbon cutting of Mangrove Manor. It is the newest permanent exhibit and a milestone in the museum’s history as one of the county’s premier destinations for early childhood learning. Mangrove Manor, made possible by a grant from Impact 100 Palm Beach County, allows children to climb, crawl, slide and explore an environment featuring native Florida wildlife — including an oversized alligator — while building confidence, problem-solving skills and connections through imaginative play. The celebration included representatives from Impact 100 Palm Beach County, the city of Boynton Beach, including Commissioner Aimee Kelley and Vice Mayor Thomas Turkin, the Chamber of Commerce of the Palm Beaches, and nonprofit leaders, educators, board members and community advocates from throughout the county. “Mangrove Manor represents so much more than a new exhibit,” said Miriam Naranjo, executive director of Schoolhouse Children’s Museum. “It reflects what’s possible when a community comes together to invest in its children.”
YMCA gets donation for Parkinson’s programs
The YMCA of South Palm Beach County was awarded $14,000 by the Parkinson’s Foundation to support disease management programs — including Surf & Turf, Parkinson’s Cycle and Parkinson’s Dance — which help improve strength, balance, flexibility, mobility and overall quality of life. The money will help sustain eight hours of vital programming each week across the Y’s two locations, in Boca Raton and Boynton Beach. In all, the Parkinson’s Foundation announced recipients of more than $1 million in grants for community
YWCA Palm Beach County has appointed Mary Hart as chief executive officer and Tessie Watts as president of the board of directors. Hart brings extensive leadership experience to the CEO role. Before founding Hart Core Solutions, which helps nonprofits and small businesses pursue growth opportunities, she was executive director of Dress for Success Palm Beaches and the Women’s Chamber of Commerce of Palm Beach County. Watts, a Riviera Beach native, is founder and CEO of The Leadership Haven Resource Center, a consulting firm specializing in leadership development, board governance and organizational strategy. Current board members are Kimberly Cruz, Vanessa Moss, Cassandra Oliver, Alcolya St. Juste, Karen Stephenson and Trixy Walker. Incoming members are Denise Albritton, Yolanda Cope, Tonya DavisJohnson, Dena Sisk Foman, Amanda Joiner, Orie McIntosh, Al’Licia Pittman and Ann Marie Sorrell.
BHH names winners of Corporate Challenge
Fourteen local companies joined with Boca Helping Hands in hosting a workplace food drive to help stock pantry shelves with nonperishable food. Those that collected the most food by weight within their category earned the boxingstyle champion’s belt. The three categories were based on employee count. A total of 22,195 pounds of food was donated in the Corporate Challenge. That is equivalent to 18,495.83 meals, or a total value of $51,270.45 on average. The bantamweight champion (50 employees or fewer) was SouthState Bank, coming in with 966 pounds; middleweight champion (51-100 employees) was Woolbright Development with 1,073 pounds; and the heavyweight champion (more than 100 employees) was ADMA Biologics with 16,418 pounds. “Over the summer, demand for food stays the same, while food donations decline significantly because many people are on vacation and the snowbirds go back up north for the season,” said Andrew Hagen, CEO of Boca Helping Hands. “That’s what made the Corporate Challenge so important. It enabled Boca Helping Hands to provide food to people in need in our community while bringing local Continued on the next page
The COASTAL STAR
September 2026
businesses together in a friendly competition in support of a great cause.”
5K run to fight hunger set at Okeeheelee Park
Feeding South Florida’s annual Outrun Hunger 5K will be held on Sept. 19 at Okeeheelee Park, 7715 Forest Hill Blvd., West Palm Beach. Check-in opens at 6:30 a.m. and the 5K begins at 7:30. After the race, an awards ceremony and a raffle will take place. To register, visit secure.qgiv.com/ event/fy27outrunhunger5kpbc. Every registration will help provide 120 meals for individuals and families facing hunger and food insecurity.
Open mic event to raise money for culinary arts
The Community Classroom Project will host JP’s Jam, an annual fundraiser in memory of John Paul Kline, a beloved chef, artist and founder of the former 3rd & 3rd. The open mic event from 7 to 11 p.m. on Sept. 25 is for patrons 21 and up at The Hub at Space of Mind, 101 NW First Ave., Delray Beach. Money raised will be for the JP Kline Culinary Arts Scholarship Fund, which supports local chefs and creatives. There will be light bites prepared by the Community Classroom Kitchen and drinks sponsored by Dominick Peri of Prosperity Brewers. The SoulStreamz Open Mic will host the entertainment, which will include musicians, poetry, games and audience interactions. Kline, who died in 2016, was a huge lover of art, music and spontaneous creativity. All members of the community are invited to perform. “JP was a close friend, having supported the early culinary initiatives at Space of Mind, and he had an indelible impact on Delray when he founded 3rd & 3rd and gave the local music scene a home,” said Ali Kaufman, founder of Space of Mind and Community Classroom Project. “His spirit and mission live on through his scholarship fund, the friends and family who miss him dearly and the students who have benefited. We are honored to support this cause and keep his memory alive by raising a new
generation of culinary artists — and giving all creatives a place to thrive.” Tickets are $50 at JPKline. givesmart.com or text JPKline to 7627.
Karaoke competition to help CROS tackle hunger
Shower singers and seasoned performers alike, take note. The Wednesday Night Mic Karaoke Competition, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Oct. 7 at the Delray Elks Lodge, 265 NE Fourth Ave., will raise vital money for CROS Ministries’ programs that fight hunger in the area. Sponsored by the Amy & Noreen Team, Lang Realty, the event is part of Do Good Delray, which aims to increase collaboration between for-profit and nonprofit members of the Greater Delray Beach Chamber of Commerce. Tickets are $20 and include pizza, soft drink and a raffle ticket. Alcoholic beverages and additional raffle tickets for baskets will be for sale. For more information, visit crosministries.org/events.
Goo Goo Dolls headline children’s hospital gala
Goo Goo Dolls have been announced as the headliner for the Red Gala benefiting Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital Foundation at 6 p.m. on Oct. 24 at Pier Sixty-Six in Fort Lauderdale. Chaired by Deana and Andrew Koenig, the annual event supports lifesaving pediatric care and will feature patient stories, silent and live auctions, a performance by the multiplatinum-selling band and more. Last year’s gala raised more than $3 million.
Walk of Recognition nominations open
The Boca Raton Historical Society and The Schmidt Boca Raton History Museum are inviting the community to nominate notable citizens to be considered for the Walk of Recognition. This year’s celebration will mark three decades of honoring individuals whose leadership and generosity have shaped Boca Raton. “When I started the Walk of Recognition in 1997, I saw a community full of people quietly doing extraordinary
things — for their neighbors, for local schools, for people who needed help — and no one was stopping to say thank you,” said Marta Batmasian, founder of the Walk of Recognition. “I wanted Boca Raton to have a place where those contributions could be remembered, not just for a moment, but for good. Thirty years later, I’m prouder than ever of everyone we’ve been able to honor.” The program has honored people across education, healthcare, civic service, arts and culture, business and philanthropy, with each honoree receiving an engraved granite star in Mizner Plaza at Royal Palm Place. Nominations close on Sept. 15 and can be made online at bocahistory.org/walk-ofrecognition-2026/. The Walk of Recognition is from 6 to 9 p.m. Nov. 4 at The Addison, 2 East Camino Real, Boca Raton. Tickets are $125 via BocaHistory.org or by calling 561-395-6766, ext. 100.
Junior League’s Volunteer of the Year Luncheon set
The Junior League of Boca Raton’s 39th annual Woman Volunteer of the Year luncheon is coming at 10 a.m. Nov. 5 at The Boca Raton, 501 E. Camino Real. JLBR President Melody Cobbe has announced Tandy Robinson as honorary chair and Linda Paton and Victoria Matthews as event co-chairs. Guests are invited to wear white. The luncheon honors those nominated by nonprofits throughout Palm Beach County and northern Broward County for notable dedication as volunteers in service of the organizations they serve. Proceeds benefit the Junior League of Boca Raton. Assistant chairs are Nancy Walsh, Joni Goldberg, Carla Thrower, Stephanie Newell and Alex Welsh. Sponsorships, tables, and tickets can be purchased directly at wvoy26.givesmart. com/ or call 561-620-2553. Send news, photos and notes to Lou Ann Frala at philanthropy@ thecoastalstar. com.
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September 2026
LIBRARY
Continued from page AT1 dancer, a person who identifies as nonbinary, a school guidance counselor and, among others, a woman who is breathing with somebody else’s lungs in her chest. Here’s what some of them had to share. Jennifer Troyan, 52, an adoptee My parents were on a list for eight years, and I was adopted at a couple months old, through Catholic Charities. And three years later, I got a half-brother. They got him at 2½ days. We always knew. My mother told us that giving up a child for adoption is one of the most selfless things anyone can do. We got a piece of paper with just the mother and father’s age. There’s no real medical history, so Troyan on forms it just says “Unknown.” That doesn’t bother me. Not knowing means it never put a preconceived notion in my head. I’ve had friends who knew there was a family history of heart disease, for example, and they would ruminate on that. About 10 years ago, I joined ancestry. com and it said I was mostly Irish and Scottish. And 1% Mongolian. Whatever that means! I debated about finding my birth parents. I sat for three years with a lot of soul searching. What if this or that happened? Eight years ago, I hired a small boutique firm in California called Birth Parent Finder, and a parent/child connection popped up. Her name’s Debbie. She’s 72, and local, and she wanted to meet me. We met at a Starbucks in Lake Worth Beach on Aug. 8, 2018. I have a halfbrother who’s 44, and a half-sister 10 years younger than me. I told Debbie, “I can’t call you Mom.” So, I call her Debbie, or Amma, which is a South Indian dialect for, like, Mama. She told me she was 19 and it was a two-night stand. My birth father never even knew about me, but Birth Finder hired a genetic genealogy investigator, and they reached out to one of his daughters, who agreed to supply a DNA sample to confirm. His name is David. He’s 80 and lives in Alabama. He was in denial. His daughter told him, “She’s not looking for a kidney.” We’ve had no contact, and I’m OK with that, but I did meet one of his daughters, and she’s also named Jennifer. I was out of town this Aug. 8, so Debbie and I met again on Aug. 5 at the same Starbucks to mark the eighth anniversary of our first meeting.
Darcy Gordon (center, with long braid) discusses her experiences with bipolar disorder during a Living Library session in Lantana. Photos by Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star My mother’s 86 now, and she was I was asked if I would have been happy age 22 my lungs were at the end of life. In 2005, I went to Duke University, which always good with me finding my if I had been trans as a child, but I had is known as a great center, and got on a biological mother. I told Debbie, “You no gender dysphoria as a child. Growing gave my mother something she couldn’t up, I dressed very masculine. Sometimes waiting list. People wanted to know about the have herself.” I think of myself as more male than donor. female. All I know about my donor is that he Raquel King, 40, a flight attendant for I have considered hormones and 10 years with American Airlines surgery, but ultimately, I’m satisfied now. was 22 and from New York City, and he died on Memorial Day weekend of 2005. My favorite layover is Buenos Aires, I try to be out where I can, because I and domestically New Orleans. think visibility is important, but I can tell At that age, it’s typically an accident or an overdose. I’m not afraid of flying, but I am afraid friends, “I’m not out in this situation,” and they respect that. My surgery was on Memorial Day as of angry passengers. People get mad There’s a bar I go to locally, and even well. They called me around 8:30 p.m. on when there are delays or their flights are though they’re very confused about me, the 29th saying they had a potential set canceled. Maybe they’ve had too much of lungs. to drink, or they took something because they’re also very nice. Do we have orgies? Well, no one asked, Was I terrified? Yes and no. On the they’re a nervous flier. Sometimes people but the answer’s no. morning of my surgery, my mom called just need to vent. and told me The Palm Beach Post had I tell people flying is safer than an article that morning about Joan of driving. It’s safer than crossing the street. Lisa Keough, a guidance counselor at Forest Hill High School Arc. I had played Joan of Arc in a play at The only mode of transportation that’s I’ve been doing this for 33 years. I Palm Beach State College, and there was safer than flying is an elevator. a quote from her, “I am not afraid. I was Is there really a Mile High Club? Well, began in 1994 at Palm Beach Gardens High School, then worked with born to do this.” I haven’t caught anyone personally. But I alternative education in the county jail The surgery took between seven and have heard stories. and the Department of Juvenile Justice. nine hours. I don’t know exactly how I love high school. The kids are long, but when I came to, the ICU nurse Sara Garcia, 23, a dance teacher at was holding a Diet Dr Pepper. I don’t like Boynton Beach School of Music, Dance interesting and they can reason, so a lot of it is helping them manage with diet drinks, or Dr Pepper. and Drama parents, social media, their teachers. I was on a ventilator for the first two I started dancing at 3, then studied at The undocumented kids confide in or three hours, and then they took the Nazareth University in upstate New York me they’re afraid to come to school. We vent out, and I was in the hospital for six and the University of Roehampton in get them through school, but then they days. England. can’t afford college. One girl’s got straight The median survival rate after a I teach combination ballet and tap A’s, and we got her a small scholarship transplant is 50% at five years and 20% at classes to the school’s Little Learners, through women’s clubs and service clubs, 10 years. I’m still here after 21 years. ages 3-8. My doctor says long-term survivors It’s very cute. There’s a lot of stomping. but only for one semester. She wants to be a nurse, but now she’s just working in like me are in uncharted territory. With ages 3-8, there’s a lot of surprising a little restaurant. • talent if they really have a passion for it. During the 10 days of the Living And I had a young Guatemalan girl By about age 6, they’ll start asking for Library’s human books program, 64 last year who was raped by her first more styles and training. cousin. I had to report it. He went to jail, visitors “checked out” a book. Dancing classes are expensive outside “Many attendees stayed well beyond but the females in her family, her mother a school. It can cost up to $500 a month, the scheduled check-out period and and grandmother, wanted her to not so after I pay off all my student loans, ultimately befriended one another,” press charges. I want to work toward opening my Kreidler said. “That's the best kind of She was 17. own studio with more affordable and It’s important to be accepting and have outcome we could hope for. scholarship classes. “We definitely plan to try again next no agenda of your own. Be open. Every year, tweaking it from what we learned teacher has their subject, and my subject Kelsey Hamm, 31, who describe is teaching kids how to be good decision- and promoting it earlier and more themselves as polyamorous and often. When attendees stay long after a makers. nonbinary program ends and leave having formed I use they/them pronouns. new friendships, that tells us we are I have two boyfriends and a girlfriend, Kristine Kreidler, 45, a double-lung creating exactly the kind of community all long-term. I’ve been with the two men transplant and the library director connection libraries are uniquely I don’t tell this too often. for three years and the woman for one positioned to foster.” P I was born with cystic fibrosis, and by year.
A small-town library with impressive growth By Ron Hayes
When Kristine Kreidler became the director of the Lantana Public Library in 2019, it had one full-time employee — and she was it. Today, there are four, plus seven part-timers. Under her leadership, the library has seen the kind of growth that more than justifies those additional staff members. For example, Kreidler reports, in the 2018-19 fiscal year, the library issued 264 library cards to new borrowers. In 2024-25, they issued 1,845 new cards. That’s a 599% increase in six years. Over the same period, the library has seen a 160% increase in annual circulation, from 12,014 books checked out in the fiscal year before she started to 31,189 in 2025.
And this is at a library that doesn’t have DVDs. All those checkouts were for books. The library has gone from offering 11 programs right before Kreidler arrived to 426 in 2025. And those programs have brought in many more people, from the 97 who showed up back in the fiscal year prior to Kreidler’s start to the 8,740 who attended in 2025. “Our mission is to educate and provide a safe, welcoming space, but it goes deeper than that,” Kreidler says. “Beyond books, we want to cultivate community, the kind that happens face-to-face and results in neighbors knowing each other as they used to back in the old days. “We want to be the vibrant hub of Lantana that residents are proud of.” P To find out all the Lantana Public Library has to offer, visit lantanalibrary.org.
Kristine Kreidler, Lantana library director and organ transplant recipient, holds a customized wooden book given to each Living Library participant.
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September 2026
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Theater
Arts
Mango fest to juice up Lake Worth Beach By Erik Kvarnberg Contributing Writer
someone with the ability to donate who supports our cause.” The money will allow her and the staff to concentrate on the “art of making art.” “This frees us up to focus on putting out a great product — or great production,” she says. Because this is a community theater (“Where Community Takes the Stage”), most staff and performers are volunteers who dedicate their time out of love for the craft. The Playhouse has a loyal base of patrons who come often and faithfully, and the theater programs shows with its audience in mind. Many patrons may not be able to afford subscriptions to larger venues, but they can see live theater here for $44. An anchor on Lake Avenue in downtown Lake Worth Beach, the theater has a storied history — from its beginnings as a silent film and vaudeville house, to surviving the 1928 hurricane,
Something new is stirring on Labor Day weekend at the corner of J Street and Lake Avenue in Lake Worth Beach. The Mango Music and Art Festival, taking place Sept. 5, is the uniquely South Floridian result of a meeting of the minds: Pomona restaurant co-owner Alexandra Dupuis, PureHoney magazine publisher Steev Rullman, and record label Tiki Tumbao's maverick Travis Acker. Their shared vision: Turning that downtown spot into a place for the community to enjoy local art, street vendors, mango-inspired food and cocktails, live music, and DJs. The festival is free to attend. Dupuis, the festival director, originally wanted to reconnect locals to businesses run by other locals. “The festival’s identity truly solidified once we began booking the headlining acts,” Dupuis said. All organizers felt that soul-jazz groups like The Glades and Latin alternative group Electric Piquete both represent and unify the South Florida community. PureHoney took the lead in selecting the acts in collaboration with Tiki Tumbao, a Miamibased record label specializing in the Latin jazz/funk genre. The headlining acts include names such as Cumbiamba, Tony and the Kings, Jeremy’s Way and the Soul Vaccinators. Inspired by Peruvian, Mexican,
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A scene from the Lake Worth Playhouse’s July 17-Aug. 2 production of the Tony Award-winning musical In the Heights. An anonymous donation is providing a dependable funding source for the theater. Photo provided
Strong show of support By Jan Engoren Contributing Writer
The story of the Lake Worth Playhouse took an unexpected twist this summer with an anonymous $1 million gift — a transformational donation that will help ensure the theater’s next act. With the gift, the Playhouse now has a permanent endowment — a dependable stream of annual funding to fuel its artistic vision, protect its historic building and grow educational programs for the community’s next generation. “We are beyond thrilled to receive this gift,” says Shoshana Davidowitz, executive director of the Lake Worth Playhouse. “As we continue to serve as a cultural anchor for Lake Worth Beach, this endowment ensures that future generations will always have a place to experience the magic of live theater.” Her goal, she says, is to leave the theater in a better place — both
Donor’s $1 million gift is transformational for Lake Worth Playhouse financially and structurally — especially as the 102-year-old building continues to age. “Our programming is strong,” she says. “But we want to ensure we’ll be around in another 100 years, and this gives stability to the organization.” Rather than go toward immediate expenses or day-to-day operations, Davidowitz says the endowment will be invested to earn dividends and act as an insurance policy for the theater’s future. Davidowitz says the fact that someone was willing to invest that much money shows a lot about the importance of arts in the community. “I put it out to the universe,” she says, “and we were lucky enough to find
Books
Musician-historian’s new book examines our folksong commonalities By Bill Meredith ArtsPaper Music Writer Author, music historian and Grammy Award-nominated banjoist and guitarist Stephen Wade’s brand-new book is called Our Common Life, but it’s the unifying book’s subtitle that captures its intent equally. “Folksong From the Front Porch to the Concert Hall” not only illustrates the arc of modern acoustic music via Wade’s historical tales of the adventures of its often overlooked, yet deserving, heroes, but also exemplifies what every musician has in common: the joy of creation, whether they’re the only one hearing it or they’re performing
before thousands. The actual title is more of an attempt to mediate the inherent politicization and racial claims of what constitutes folksong in America, even as Wade points out that it was President Gerald Ford who signed the American Folklife Preservation Act into law in 1976. “I didn’t want to dwell on those aspects, but they’re still definitely there through our current political era,” Wade, 73, says by phone from his home in Washington, D.C. “I touch upon them, hopefully with some continuity, but certain arguments in American life are still going on. And I’m reminded of them, here where I live, every day.”
Wade’s decade-old preceding book, The Beautiful Music All Around Us, documents Library of Congress field recordings captured between 1934 and 1942. Wade’s back stories illustrate the people utilizing what was still fledgling electronic recording technology in the Deep South and the Great Plains. Our Common Life both expands upon and predates its predecessor as a history of premodern music, with endless stories from throughout Wade’s life and career. Some of the artists’ names ring familiar, but many are undervalued footnotes in musical history who bear special significance, especially to the author. He attempts to
Stephen Wade is a Grammynominated banjo and guitar player who is also a music historian. Photo provided bring their names into public consciousness here as influential figures, especially since some lived and performed mostly before the advent of modern recording techniques. There’s Uncle Dave Macon (1870-1952), the gold-toothed Tennessee singer/songwriter,
banjoist and comedian who blended country, folk music and vaudeville elements to become the first superstar of the Grand Ole Opry. And Doc Hopkins (1900-88), an influential Kentucky-born singer, multiSee COMMON LIFE on AT6
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COMMON LIFE
Life might be that it dispels the common misconception that all musical genealogy traces back to either classical music or the blues. Before recording technology, music was a fusion of country, spoken word storytelling, bluegrass, folk and theatrical styles, and songs were more often collected, borrowed, and rearranged than exactingly composed and performed. “I was actually able to learn things directly from some of these people, as opposed to learning things just from their recordings,” Wade says. The arguably least interesting aspect of Our Common Life, for the general public, might be its exacting nature. Wade mentions better-known musical quantities like bluegrass pioneers Lester Flatt (vocals, guitar) and Earl Scruggs (banjo), soulful vocalist and pianist Ray Charles and folk godfather Pete Seeger, yet casual music fans looking for glimpses of the familiar could get lost in the book’s verbiage and minutiae. “I tried to write the book in an accessible way,” Wade says. “I tried to think of a broader audience than just music people, because music speaks to a broader element of our lives. I don’t know if I made that point, as that’s up to the reader, but I definitely made attempts to venture there.” Our Common Life is also Wade’s subtle reminder of what constitutes culture in our current culture-wars era. “People’s cultural worlds might be different, but we have commonalities,” he says. “Dividing people by their blood is a problem for me; rejecting people by saying something is mine, and you can’t have it. Culture is not blood. It’s not defined by race or ethnicity. White and Black musicians couldn’t eat together during segregation, but they sure as hell listened to each other and were able to play together. Culture is, at its essence, what gets shared.”
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instrumentalist and radio figure who lived most of his life in Chicago and performed with Wade. “I ended up knowing nearly all of Uncle Dave’s former accompanists,” Wade says. “I was fortunate to get to know them in the latter parts of their lives. And Doc was like a grandfather to me in terms of both love and education.” Wade’s theatrical presentation Banjo Dancing (which combined traditional music, storytelling and dance) took him throughout the United States from 1979 through 1997. Our Common Life displays tales about the places as well as people from those travels and the ones since, from his native Chicago and the New River Ranch venue in Rising Sun, Md., to throughout Florida and even the White House lawn. Washington, D.C., was once, in the 1950s and 1960s, a destination for bluegrass and country music performers. “It was the northernmost spot for Southern musicians to barnstorm,” says Wade. One performance by Wade in the nation’s capital, on Sept. 3, 1979, holds special significance. “Banjo Dancing started a run in Chicago in May of 1979,” he says, “and I got a wonderful review of it in the Chicago Tribune. But I got even luckier in that the National Drama Critics Convention met in Chicago that summer, and the chief critic reportedly said that the best thing in town was some kid playing the banjo. So all the critics showed up, including T.E. Kalem from Time magazine. “[First Lady] Rosalynn Carter read his article, then sent her staff to see me, and the invitation to perform at the White House was issued. I played before around 1,500 people in the bandshell on the south lawn of the White House after President Jimmy Carter had introduced me. ... President and Mrs. Carter complimented me and took pictures with me afterward. It was an extraordinary experience.” The most interesting aspect of Our Common
Our Common Life: Folksong From the Front Porch to the Concert Hall, by Stephen Wade, University of Illinois Press, 459 pp, $29.95, www. press.uillinois.edu
September 2026
Book Review A Sudden Flicker of Light: A Revisionist History of the Movies, by David Thomson, Simon & Schuster, 368 pp, $30 Did the movies sleepwalk us into the elections of Donald Trump? This provocative question hides in plain sight throughout British film historian David Thomson’s unsettling and often downbeat new book, his 45th on the art form he loves — or, perhaps, loved until very recently. The obtrusive shadow of the 47th president looms over A Sudden Flicker like the silhouette of Alfred Hitchcock. For much of the book’s 368 pages, Trump’s presence is measured in sweeping, implicative statements (“There are people now in the US, leaders, who seem captivated by the iconography that [Leni] Riefenstahl laid down. This is enough to make us wary of genius.”) or succinct asides related to Trump’s personal taste in cinema, as when Thomson compares him to the Norma Desmond character from Sunset Boulevard: “Who else is readier for the camera with his way of lurching from horror to screwball in an endless untidy sentence?” But it’s in the final and most controversial chapter, titled “Quiet, Piggy,” that Thomson unloads on the president in tone and diction that will satisfy many. It’s the natural conclusion of the author’s bilious contention that the medium he’s cherished for 60 professional years bears at least some responsibility for Trump’s ascension — as opposed to, say, a hundred other fluky things. “He is a jerk and a genius and a lowlife whose only escape from his dank cave is being on camera. He always knows where it is; he sighs at it, like a Don Juan tired of kissing.” Movies prepped us for this, or as Thomson argues, “movie” prepped us: He often references the medium as a singular, hulking collective noun, like Borg. This speaks to a hivemind mentality, even a kind of brainwashing, that films have engendered. The chapters proceed in a largely linear fashion while also functioning as self-contained essays examining how the film industry has ushered in a widespread acceptance of bigots, monsters, and fascists. That last word is a loaded one, and Thomson deploys it frequently. D.W. Griffith’s The Birth of a Nation was “the first fascist picture.” Thomson essentially traces a line, from Griffith’s racist apologia on through to Fritz Lang’s grandiose vision of an authoritarian state in Metropolis and his chilling early talkie M; to Triumph of the Will, Riefenstahl’s literal glorification of the fascist takeover of Europe; to Orson Welles’ hulking studies of megalomania; to
the floodgates of pleasurable violence opened by Psycho, Bonnie & Clyde, The Godfather, and so many other hallowed masterworks that programmed us to worship the criminal, to degrade the woman, to love the bomb. Thomson makes astute points on every page — in every paragraph. In a chapter on the advent of editing, he cites the Odessa Steps sequence in Eisenstein’s Battleship Potemkin as a formative example of couching an unspeakable event in cinematically palatable ways: “A cut can be a swift instrument of lying propaganda.” No one knew this better than Leni Riefenstahl, the subject of perhaps the book’s most disturbing chapter, “Hitler’s Hand,” as Thomson deconstructs the ways she seduced us through the poker-faced neutrality of the moving image. Reifenstahl, he writes, “is now firmly placed as a bad thing. But in 1935, when this film opened, the screen could not tell that.” In Thomson’s view, to elevate the Third Reich, it just took a bit of cinematic conditioning. Not all of A Sudden Flicker of Light is a downer. Thomson artfully weaves history, culture, literature and visual art into a spiraling, multifaceted argument that this review cannot appreciably do justice. A chapter on the explosion of artful foreign cinema, starting with Italian neorealism and onto the French New Wave and the masterpieces of Kurosawa, Ozu and Mizoguchi, stands as a bulwark against the increasing conformity, untrustworthiness, sexism and cretin-elevation of Hollywood. Thomson has a gift for distilling dense ideas in a fragmented but plainspoken prose. He also has much insight into the ways television shaped the movies and our habits of seeing — exclusively for ill, and in ways that have only been exacerbated in the streaming era. He argues that commercials, and now “ads,” inserted into shows, have made us cynically doubt and disbelieve all content, even the documentaries and news footage that sandwiched them. While all of this may be true, it's difficult to make the leap Thomson bounds in the final chapters, whose bleakness can be overpowering. “We are no longer the selves we hoped to be,” he writes, in peak despair. “We are not exactly alive any longer. We do not matter. And we are sick to death of watching the strutting idiocy of those who claim greatness.” OK, but Thomson’s revisionist history is a selective one. For instance, animation is never addressed in the book, along with the entirety of Black cinema. It’s not that Thomson is incorrect in one aspect or chapter or appraisal; it’s that his revisionism is slanted and incomplete, and too tethered to the unfortunate political zeitgeist. — ArtsPaper staff
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September 2026
Arts Calendar
PLAYHOUSE
Continued from page 5 to becoming the oldest Art Deco building in Palm Beach County. It’s also where its most famous alumnus, Burt Reynolds, got his start when the theater was located on the third floor of City Hall. Today, the Playhouse is one of South Florida’s premier nonprofit community theaters, Photo provided by the Lake producing musicals, plays, films, radio plays, educational Worth Playhouse programming and special events. Its leaders say it remains committed to providing affordable, high-quality arts experiences and fostering creativity through open auditions, volunteer opportunities and educational programs. While ticket sales, grants, sponsorships and annual donations support day-to-day operations, the new endowment establishes a permanent financial foundation that will help sustain the organization going forward. Artistic director Daniel Eilola calls the endowment “a crown jewel — a real highlight for the Playhouse.” The theater has recently made upgrades, including renovations and new seating, and Eilola says he’s enjoying watching the transformation. “All our years of hard work and delivering some of the best theater in South Florida have paid off,” he says. “It takes a lot of blood, sweat and tears to pull off 10 productions each season.” Annual distributions from the fund will go to support main stage productions, preservation and capital improvements, youth education and outreach programs and long-term artistic growth and community engagement. Davidowitz emphasizes that contributions to the endowment are welcome and will help ensure the Lake Worth Playhouse continues to thrive for future generations. The endowment is designed to grow over time, allowing future gifts to expand its impact. The Playhouse would also like to find sponsorships to create a family series. “It’s special to have this opportunity,” Eilola says. “This couldn’t happen to a more deserving organization.” For him, the payoff is being able to hire talented people, give them opportunities, and watch how it all fills people’s hearts with joy and purpose. “I see what it means in their eyes,” he says. “That’s what excites me most. And now, thanks to this gift, I believe we’ll be here 100 years from now.” Looking ahead, Eilola says he’s most excited about the “unexpected.” “We never know who will walk in the door,” he says. “It’s always exciting to have new talent, new skills and new people who become part of our extended family.” Currently auditioning for next season’s shows, Eilola — who discovered the theater when he moved to Florida 13 years ago — says, “It’s so exciting to see new faces, and we look forward to what’s in store.” He encourages people to get involved, whether by seeing a show or auditioning for one. “We want to keep things fresh, exciting and inclusive — and create killer shows.”
MANGO
Continued from page 5 and Colombian cumbia from the 1960s and 1970s, Cumbiamba revisits wellknown songs with original music. Playing a blend of covers and original songs, the band headlines the festival at the J Street Stage from 10 to 11:30 p.m. Acker said the festival is “a great opportunity to bring an emerging scene of really talented South Florida musicians, who are looking to kind of root us back in our past a little bit; but in a way that just really still feels current and revitalizing something that I really believe has been in all of us.” He said that, as the owner of a record label that focuses on recapturing the magic of ’70s funk, jazz, and Latin music, this festival represents the merging of many worlds. “It’s the first time I’ve seen
If You Go What: Mango Music and Art Festival Where: J Street and Lake Avenue, Lake Worth Beach When: 1 p.m.-midnight Saturday, Sept. 5 Cost: Free Info: www.pomonakitchen. com/mango-festival all these groups who have been doing this for over 20 years in South Florida in different pockets, finally coming together on one lineup, really presenting this beautiful fusion thing, and it’s just so South Florida,” Acker said. Two bands come from Tiki Tumbao's own label. The Glades features top jazz musicians stretching their legs with funky soul music, while Tony and the Kings play Latin boogaloo, a blend of Afro-Cuban soul, R&B, and rock and roll. Dupuis also rallied the
Editor’s note: Events listed through September 30 were current as of August 20. Check with the presenting agency for any changes. Ticket prices are single sales unless otherwise specified.
ART
Boca Raton Museum of Art: Through Oct. 11: Modernisms: Art from the Manes Collection; Typoe Gran: Anatomy of a Practice. Through Nov. 8: Frédéric Bruly Bouabré: Selections from the 404 Art Collection, more than 40 drawings by one of Africa’s most admired contemporary artists. Through Dec. 6: Exploring Jess: Beat Generation Visionary. Through Feb. 8: Drawing with Scissors: Collage from the Collection. $16, $12 seniors, free for students. 501 Plaza Real, Boca Raton. 11 am-6 pm W-Sun (to 8 pm Th). 561-392-2500 or www.bocamuseum.org Cornell Art Museum: Through Sept. 10: Persistence of Matter highlights the beauty of “one man’s trash, another man’s treasure,” featuring art made from reclaimed, repurposed, and upcycled materials; Rodney Demps: The Surrealist of the Highwaymen Exhibition; Spotlighting James Knill: Through a Lucid Lens. Free. 51 N. Swinton Ave., Delray Beach. Noon-5 pm W, Sun, noon-7 pm Th, F; 10 am-5 pm Sat. 561-243-7922 or delrayoldschoolsquare. com/cornell Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens: Through Sept. 20: Threads of Silver & Gold spotlights the history of the uchikake, a formal robe worn by highranking women. $15; $13 seniors; $9 children; free for members, ages 5 and under. 4000 Morikami Park Road, Delray Beach. 10 am-5 pm T-Sun. 561-495-0233, morikami.org Norton Museum of Art: Through Sept. 27: Recognition of Art by Women: In Retrospect, 10th anniversary exhibition showcasing the works of artists featured in past iterations. Through Oct. 4: Danielle Mckinney: Shelter. Through Nov. 1: Cursed Images: Pictures Out of Context. Through Jan. 30: Chang Daichien: A Master of Modern Chinese Painting. Opens Sept. 19: Visible Fictions: Photography and Artifice features works that present photography as a medium of invention rather than simply documentation. $18 adults; $15 seniors; $5 students; free for ages 12 and under, 1450 S. Dixie Highway, West Palm Beach. 10 am-5 pm, M, T, Th, Sat; 10 am-10 pm F; 11 am-5 pm Sun. 561832-5196, www.norton.org
DANCE
Saturday, September 19 National Dance Day: Learn some hip-hop, jazz funk, and ballroom a la “Dirty Dancing” during free workshops at the Kravis Center on this national dance holiday. Emceed by WPEC-CBS 12 anchor Sam Kerrigan. 11 a.m.
support of Blood Cancer United, Path to College, For the Children, and The GuatemalanMaya Center, a nonprofit organization providing social services to immigrants from the Central American nation. These charity partners help make the Mango Festival a true celebration of the community. “I would say it’s the first time where you can really experience a lot of the different things and people who make our universe real, all in one place, putting out the best representation of what we do,” Acker said. Pomona Kitchen and other local businesses including Propaganda, Rudy’s at Bamboo and Rudy’s Pub, are hosting unique atmospheres to accompany the festival. The vendor market opens at 1 p.m., with live music, vinyl DJs and special programming throughout event. The celebration continues until midnight.
ArtsPaper/Theater/Arts/Arts Calendar AT7 to 4 p.m. Free admission. 701 Okeechobee Blvd, West Palm Beach. kravis.org.
JAZZ AND BLUES
Tuesday, September 3 Shaw Davis & The Black Ties: Looking for a night of blues-rock fusion? Formed in 2016 in Pompano Beach, this trio has already released three critically acclaimed albums. 8 pm. $13-$70. Crazy Uncle Mikes, 6450 N. Federal Highway, Boca Raton. crazyunclemikes.com Saturday, September 5 Souljam: This local six-member band hails from Vero Beach, playing covers and original music in the styles of funk, blues, rock and soul; music similar to that of Grateful Dead and The Allman Brothers. 8:30 pm. $19-$93. Crazy Uncle Mikes, 6450 N. Federal Highway, Boca Raton. crazyunclemikes.com Saturday, September 12 Umoja McNeish: A violinist and composer, Umoja’s sound is unrestricted by genre, exploring blues, classical, R&B and hip-hop. 8 pm. $43-$48. Arts Garage, 94 NE 2nd Ave, Delray Beach. 561-450-6357 or artsgarage. org Saturday, September 19 Dyer Davis: With an electrifying sound rooted in southern blues rock, Davis’s debut album Dog Bites Back debuted at No. 6 on the Billboard Blues Chart. 8 pm. $39-$50. The Funky Biscuit, 303 SE Mizner Blvd, No. 59, Boca Raton. 561-395-2929 or funkybiscuit.com Hendrik Meurkens Samba Jazz Quartet: Enjoy some Brazilian jazz by the renowned harmonica virtuoso, vibraphonist and composer, who began his career at 19 years old in Germany. 8 pm. $50-$55. Arts Garage, 94 NE 2nd Ave, Delray Beach. 561450-6357 or artsgarage.org Friday, September 25 Damon Fowler Group: Hailing from Tampa, the award-winning blues guitarist and singer-songwriter blends Southern rock and roots music influences. Critics have compared Fowler’s guitar work to Johnny Winter and Jeff Beck. 8 pm. $39-$44. The Funky Biscuit, 303 SE Mizner Blvd, No. 59, Boca Raton. 561-395-2929 or funkybiscuit. com Jarred Armstrong: The Orlando-based jazz, soul and R&B saxophonist and vocalist. 8 pm. Tickets: $50-55. Arts Garage, 94 NE 2nd Ave, Delray Beach. 561-450-6357 or artsgarage.org
POPULAR MUSIC
Saturday, September 12 Luke Bryan: The country music artist is touring ahead of releasing Signs, his new album coming out Sept. 18. 7 pm. $78 and up. iThink Financial Amphitheatre, 601-7 Sansburys Way, West Palm Beach. ticketmaster.com Sunday, September 13 The Strokes: Formed in 1998, this American alternative rock band is known
for hits like “Reptilia” and “Late Nite.” 7 pm. Limited tickets available starting at $289. Hard Rock Live, 1 Seminole Way, Hollywood. ticketmaster.com Saturday, Sept. 19-Sunday, Sept. 20 Bruno Mars: It’ll be quite a “Treasure” to see this swaggy pop star in concert, not once but twice. The “Uptown Funk” singer is performing two nights in South Florida this fall. 7 pm. $142 and up. Hard Rock Stadium, 347 Don Shula Drive, Miami Gardens. ticketmaster.com Thursday, September 24 TLC/Salt-N-Pepa: Two defining R&B girl groups are co-headlining the It’s Iconic tour, joined by En Vogue. 7:30 pm. $63 and up. Hard Rock Live, 1 Seminole Way, Hollywood. ticketmaster.com Saturday, September 26 Aespa: For their SYNK: Complæxity tour, the South Korean K-pop girl group is stopping in Miami to perform hits like “Lemonade” and “Black Mamba.” 8 pm. $51 and up. Kaseya Center, 601 Biscayne Blvd, Miami. ticketmaster.com Tim McGraw: The iconic country artist is concluding his summer-long “Pawn Shop Guitar Tour” in South Florida. 7 pm. $54 and up. iThink Financial Amphitheatre, 601-7 Sansburys Way, West Palm Beach. ticketmaster.com James Taylor: A beloved figure from 1970s folk-rock (“Fire and Rain,” “Sweet Baby James”), still touring at age 78. 7:30 pm. $165 and up. Hard Rock Live, 1 Seminole Way, Hollywood. ticketmaster.com
THEATER
Opens September 5 Baker Street Beginnings: A medical student and a brilliant doctor try to solve a mystery using only their intellect and observation skills. Sound familiar? Yes, it’s Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. A world premiere play by Gina Montét. $25. FAU's Marleen Forkas Studio One Theatre, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton. fauevents. universitytickets.com Saturday, September 12 Through September 13 42nd Street: At the height of the Great Depression, aspiring chorus girl Peggy Sawyer heads to the Big Apple for her Big Break. She lands her first big job in the ensemble of a glittering new Broadway show, but then the leading lady breaks her ankle just before opening night. Will Peggy be able to step in and become a star? Shows at 7:30 pm and 2 pm. $55. 950 NW 9th St, Delray Beach. 561-272-1281 or delraybeachplayhouse.com Opens Thursday, Sept. 17 Beehive: The ’60s Musical: A jukebox musical with all your favorite hits from the 1960s, including songs by powerful female legends like Tina Turner, Aretha Franklin and Janis Joplin. $49. Through Sept. 27 at The Delray Beach Playhouse, 950 NW 9th St, Delray Beach. 561-272-1281 or delraybeachplayhouse.com
AT8 Health & Harmony
The COASTAL STAR
September 2026
Health & Harmony
Study explores hearing, balance and brain health connections as we age
W
hile enrolled in an artificial intelligence course at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Florida Atlantic University, Dennis and Pamela Popaca learned about a study at FAU’s College of Education examining the relationship between hearing, balance and cognitive function in adults ages 55 and older. Intrigued, the couple — Dennis Popaca, 74, a retired Boca Raton city employee, and Pamela Popaca, 67, a retired principal from Sandpiper Shores Elementary School — decided to enroll. “We’re both happy to do what we can to increase understanding of issues that affect seniors,” Dennis Popaca says. “We hope they learn something significant to add to the scientific literature. We’d like to encourage seniors who may be reluctant to get involved, to come out and participate.” Dennis Popaca admits to slight tinnitus and, according to his wife, some mild hearing loss, but says he has no significant balance or cognitive issues. The couple have friends and neighbors living with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease and are eager to support research that may lead to better treatments or a cure. A former FAU undergraduate and longtime season-ticket holder for the university’s football team, Dennis Popaca says he was impressed with the lab and its facilities. “My annual Medicare exam is not that elaborate,” he says. “Claudia Alvarez and her staff are very professional and make it an easy and pleasant experience.” Alvarez, a neuroscience Ph.D. candidate at FAU’s StilesNicholson Brain Institute, is conducting the study in Dr. Ali Danesh’s research lab on hearing, tinnitus and balance.
While cognitive decline is a challenge for many older adults, the reasons behind Alvarez it remain unclear. The National Institutes of Health estimates that 42% of Americans over age 55 will eventually develop dementia. Alvarez’s work comes at a time when hearing loss and dementia are affecting millions of older adults nationwide, underscoring the importance of this research. Mild hearing loss doubles the risk for dementia, according to the Alzheimer’s Society, and the risk increases with further loss. And the Hearing Loss Association of America reports that one in seven people — roughly 50 million Americans
ABOVE: In the research lab at FAU, neuroscience Ph.D. candidate Claudia Alvarez works at the laptop as medical student Paige DeForest wears a VR headset and Dr. Ali Danesh observes. LEFT: Dennis and Pamela Popaca enjoy themselves at an Owls football game. The retired couple are participants in a cognitive function study Alvarez is conducting. Photos provided
— have some degree of hearing loss. Those numbers highlight the scale of the challenge. Here in Palm Beach County, the issue is especially relevant due to its senior population: In 2026, more than 334,000 residents age 65 and older live in the county, according to the Florida Department of Health. The study seeks to understand the relationship between hearing loss, dementia and vestibular issues — systems that support balance, spatial orientation and environmental processing, and often deteriorate with age. A second study examines the same criteria in those with Parkinson’s disease. Together, the studies highlight how sensory decline can translate into everyday health risks, often correlating with falls, cognitive decline and reduced quality of life. Alvarez says hearing loss is the leading modifiable risk factor for dementia, and that cognitive decline can often be reversed or stabilized once hearing issues are addressed with hearing aids or other treatments. She adds that a variety of therapies may support cognition. “The best is when individuals are engaged and challenged in some capacity,” she says. “If
you listen to music and do a puzzle, or listen to music and read a book, it can yield a more positive outcome.” So can engaging your brain in something it’s not used to and doing things in social situations, Alvarez says. The study is among the first to examine the balance and auditory systems together, making it a unique contribution to the field — an important step because it will provide researchers and medical providers with a better understanding of the variability currently seen in the presentation of cognitive decline. “Our goal is to investigate how impairments in hearing and balance interact to shape spatial cognitive deficits,” Alvarez says. By studying these systems together, she hopes to identify sensitive multisensory markers of early cognitive decline and strengthen screening approaches for older adults. Participants complete a one‑time, 90‑minute on‑site visit and receive free access to their study reports, which include hearing, balance and cognitive screenings. The first 100 participants also receive a $50 gift card. To date, Alvarez has enrolled 50 participants and is seeking another 50. Exclusions include
neurodegenerative disorders, Parkinson’s disease, ALS, vestibular diseases such as Ménière’s, and a history of seizures within the past six to 12 months. Recent research has also indicated that staying socially connected as you age is an important step in aging well. Alvarez says that everyday habits play a role in maintaining our cognitive health. “Engage with your environment,” she says. “It’s a busy and loud world, but be present and engage with your senses. The more we stay present in our environment with the things we enjoy, the better it is for our cognitive and overall health. Being present keeps you present.” For participants, that mission feels personal. The Popacas say they’re glad they enrolled — to support research that may help their generation stay sharper, steadier, more connected and have more time to enjoy the FAU Owls’ victories. For more information or to sign up for the study, contact Alvarez at 954-756-0510 or at claudiaalvar2021@fau.edu. Jan Engoren writes about health and healthy living. Send column ideas to jengoren@ hotmail.com.
The COASTAL STAR
September 2026
Health Notes/Calendar AT9
Health Notes
Concierge medicine company opens first practice in Boca Raton Marquis MD, a concierge medicine company, opened its first practice at 660 Glades Road, Suite 460, Boca Raton, in August. It functions on an annual membership fee structure, giving members a concierge care coordinator and direct access to physicians around the clock. The Boca Raton location also offers Marquis MD Pediatrics so
that parents and children can be seen in the same practice. For more information, visit marquismd.com.
Study: Focused ultrasound helps Parkinson’s patients
Delray Medical Center’s study on Parkinson’s disease, published in the July 2026 issue of The Lancet Neurology, found that staged bilateral magnetic
myboca.us Health Calendar 7807; Tuesday - 9/8 - Tai Chi Class at Boca Note: Events are current as of 8/26. Please check with organizers for any changes.
SEPTEMBER 5
Saturday - 9/5 - Saturdays @ Sanborn: Yoga Class at Sanborn Square, 72 N Federal Hwy, Boca Raton. 8:45 am registration; 9 am class. Free. 561-3937703; downtownboca.org 9/5 - Zumba Class at South Beach Park Pavilion, 400 N State Rd A1A, Boca Raton. Every Sat 10 am. Free. 561-393-7703; downtownboca.org 9/5 - Yoga at the Beach at Red Reef Park West, 1221 S Ocean Blvd, Boca Raton. Held on grass overlooking the Intracoastal. No cash accepted on-site. Every 1st & 3rd Sat 10-11 am. $10-$12.50/class; 60-day membership $65/resident, $81.25/nonresident. 561-393-7807; myboca.us 9/5 - Judo Class at Boca Raton Community Center, 150 Crawford Blvd. Warm-up exercises, instruction, practice, tournament training. W 6:30-8:30 pm mixed ages/ ranks; Sat 10 am-noon all groups. Per month $21.50/resident; $27/non-resident. Registration: 561-393-7807; myboca.us 9/5 - AA Meeting at Unity of Delray Beach, 101 NW 22nd St. Every Sat 5:30 pm. Free. 561-276-5796; unityofdelraybeach. org
SEPTEMBER 6-12
Sunday - 9/6 - Prenatal & Postnatal Yoga at the Museum at Boca Raton Museum of Art, 501 Plaza Real. 9-10 am. $25/member; $30/non-member. 561-3922500; bocamuseum.org 9/6 - Coco Market at Old School Square Amphitheater, 51 N Swinton Ave, Delray Beach. Monthly wellness market: 30 local vendors, health/wellness professionals w/ various healing modalities; live music; 2 free yoga, meditation or fitness classes per event. 9 am-2 pm. Free. 561-870-4090; thecocoyogi.com/market 9/6 - Codependents Anonymous Meeting at Unity of Delray Beach, 101 NW 22nd St. Every Sun 6 pm. Free. 561-2765796; unityofdelraybeach.org 9/6 - Yoga at the Beach at Red Reef Park East, 1400 N Ocean Blvd, Boca Raton. On grass overlooking the Intracoastal. No cash accepted on-site. Every W/Sat/Sun 6:30 pm. $10-$12.50/class; 60-day membership $70/resident, $87.50/non-resident. 561393-7807; myboca.us Monday - 9/7 - LGBTQ ACOA Meeting at Unity of Delray Beach, 101 NW 22nd St. Every M 6:30 pm. Free. 561-276-5796; unityofdelraybeach.org 9/7 - Adult Zumba Class at Boca Raton Community Center, 150 Crawford Blvd. Every M 7-8 pm. Per class: $6/resident; $7.50/non-resident. Registration: 561-393-
Thymes Vitabath Seiko Roger & Gallet Crabtree & Evelyn Eye • bobs Maui Jim Lampe Berger Elizabeth Arden Douglas Paquette
Raton Community Center, 150 Crawford Blvd. Age 18+. Every T through 8/25 6-7 pm. Per class: $8/resident; $10/nonresident. Registration: 561-393-7807; myboca.us 9/8 - Al-Anon Meeting at Unity of Delray Beach, 101 NW 22nd St. Every T 7 pm. Free. 561-276-5796; unityofdelraybeach.org Wednesday - 9/9 - Bootcamp at Wildflower Park, 551 E Palmetto Park Rd, Boca Raton. Every W 10 am. Free. myboca. us/wildflower 9/9 - Scripps Research Front-Row Lecture Series: Micro Molecules, Big Impact: New Approaches to Neurodevelopmental Disorders w/ Giordano Lippi, Ph.D. 1-hour virtual lecture. 7 pm. Free. Register for link: frontrow.scripps.edu Thursday - 9/10 - LGBTQ+ AA Meeting at Unity of Delray Beach, 101 NW 22nd St. Every Th 7 pm. Free. 561-276-5796; unityofdelraybeach.org 9/10 - Alateen Meeting at St. Mark’s Catholic Church, 643 NE 4th Ave, Boynton Beach. Every Th 7:30 pm. Free. 561-2783481; southpalmbeachafg.org
SEPTEMBER 13-19
Saturday - 9/19 - Sound Healing at Boca Raton Museum of Art, 501 Plaza Real. 3-4 pm. $20/member; $40/non-member. 561392-2500; bocamuseum.org
SEPTEMBER 20-26
Wednesday - 9/23 - Medicare Seminar at Boynton Beach Library, 100 E Ocean Ave. Adults. 11 am-noon. Free. Registration: 561-742-6390; boyntonlibrary.org Thursday 9/24 - The Mind-Body Connection w/Lana Jones at FAU Friedberg Auditorium, 777 Glades Rd, Boca Raton. 12:30-2 pm. $30.40/member; $38/ non-member. 561-297-3185; olli.fau.edu
SEPT. 27-OCT. 3
Sunday - 9/27 - Yoga at the Museum at Boca Raton Museum of Art, 501 Plaza Real. 9-10:30 am. $15/member; $30/nonmember. 561-392-2500; bocamuseum.org Wednesday - 9/30 - Fall Prevention Class at Boynton Beach Library, 100 E Ocean Ave. Adults. 11 am-noon. Free. Registration: 561-742-6390; boyntonlibrary.org 9/30 - Paintings & Pilates at Boca Raton Museum of Art, 501 Plaza Real. 5:30-6:30 pm. $15/member; $25/non-member. 561392-2500; bocamuseum.org Thursday - 10/1 - Pilates Class at Boca Raton Community Center, 150 Crawford Blvd. Age 18+. Every Th through 10/29 9:30-10:30 am. $20/resident; $25/nonresident. Registration: 561-393-7807; myboca.us
Fanny May Claus Porto Spartina Kent combs Mason Pearson Rowallen Alo Aftertan Caswell Massey Eliza B
4998 N orth o ceaN B lvd . • B oyNtoN B each , FL 33435 Phone: 561-276-4800 Fax: 561-276-5990 Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Dalvi
Zucker
resonance-guided focused ultrasound is an effective
treatment for some patients. Focused ultrasound sends targeted waves, guided by MRI imaging, to precisely treat areas of the brain associated with Parkinson’s disease symptoms without surgery or implants. The researchers found that improvements showed up within one month and lasted through at least 12 months after the second treatment.
Promise Fund gets $300,000
The study was co-authored by Delray Medical Center physicians Dr. Arif Dalvi, neurologist and director of the Comprehensive Movement Disorders Center at Palm Beach Neuroscience Institute, and Dr. Lloyd Zucker, neurosurgeon at the Brain and Spine Center of South Florida.
— Christine Davis
Genesis Community Health Center at Boynton Beach Medical Center — July 27 The Promise Fund celebrated receiving a $300,000 state appropriation with a check presentation, bringing together fund leadership, elected officials, community partners and care advocates to highlight the lifesaving impact of patient navigation. Participants included Ambassador Nancy G. Brinker, founder of Promise Fund; state Sen. Lori Berman; state Rep. Kelly Skidmore; Promise Fund Executive Director Jacqueline Marsan; Promise Fund board member Amy Young, a partner at Ballard Partners; and Genesis Community Health CEO DeAnna Warren. The money will support Promise Fund Navigators, guides who help uninsured and underinsured women overcome barriers that can prevent them from receiving timely health screenings, services and treatment. It was secured with the support of Berman and Skidmore in the Florida Legislature. For more information, visit thepromisefund.org. ABOVE (l-r): Young, Skidmore, Brinker, Berman, Marsan and Warren. Photo provided by Gina Fontana
AT10 Dining
The COASTAL STAR
September 2026
Dining
S
This month’s deals at local restaurants won’t be hard to swallow
eptember is a great month to be a diner in South Florida. Two promotions have lists of restaurants offering dining deals at noted places. Diners are encouraged to get out of their ruts and explore the food scene throughout Palm Beach County: Try a new restaurant, cuisine or location and save a few bucks at the same time. The Downtown Delray Beach Restaurant Month is in its 11th year and offers up deals at 50 participating restaurants. Flavor South Florida, a program encompassing Palm Beach and Martin counties, promotes deals at more than 100 restaurants, specialty shops and quick-serve spots. Both programs run the month of September, a downtime in South Florida for the hospitality industry. Tourism is at a low, kids are back to school, and traveling and dining out aren’t a priority, so hotels and restaurants put marketing into high gear. To get diners into seats, and to entice them to try a new-tothem restaurant, then get them back later, owners offer special menus for a set price. Flavor South Florida created the format 20 years ago. Restaurants have a prix fixe menu, typically three courses, representing selections from the main menu. Choices range from $44 to $66 for a three-course dinner, $30 to $50 for a threecourse lunch, and include old and new restaurants in the area. The Downtown Delray program mimics the Flavor program, offering an exclusive menu, typically three courses with a few choices on each, for a set price. Exclusive specials designed just for diners coming in during the promotion range from multicourse prix fixe lunches or dinners, to happy hour menus, and sweets from treat shops. There are cooking class deals in the mix as well. Participating restaurants in Downtown Delray Beach represent Mediterranean cuisine (Amar Mediterranean Bistro, La Cigale), steaks (Bourbon Steak), Italian (Gabriella’s Modern Italian, Elisabetta’s Ristorante and Campi Italian), American (Gary Rack’s Farmhouse Kitchen, The Office), Mexican (Papa’s Tapas, El Camino), Asian (Le Colonial, Hawkers Asian Street Food, KaPow Noodle Bar), pizza (Death by Pizza, Windy City Pizza, Rose’s Daughter), coffee shops, ice cream parlors and dozens more. A free Downtown Delray Restaurant Month mobile pass, available at DowntownDelrayBeach.com/ RestaurantMonth, shows diners all the menus and deals available. Points can be earned and prizes, usually gift cards, can be won on the site as well. No app download is necessary. For Flavor Palm Beach, the new mod American Man Ray
Dozens of restaurants are participating in the Flavor South Florida and Downtown Delray promotional events. Some of those eateries include Gary Rack’s Farmhouse Kitchen, left, and Avalon Beach House, above. Photos provided
from the Subculture group in Lake Worth Beach is on the list, and is one of the less expensive. Barcelona Wine Bar, the new hot spot in Sundy Village in Delray Beach, offers a selection of three tapas from its large list, plus a dessert for its prix fixe. Old favorites such as Avalon Beach House in Delray Beach, Driftwood in Boynton Beach, and Florie’s in the Four Seasons also are here. Oceano Kitchen, in Lake Worth Beach, is a James Beard Award nominee, noted for its creative dishes. All the information about Flavor South Florida, with restaurant lists that can be filtered for cuisine and location, is at Flavorsouthflorida.com. Here are some tips to take full advantage of the specials: • Check out the restaurants, cuisines and menus online before you go. Be aware of limitations on menus; many will not offer substitutions on these special menus. Many are dinner-only menus; lunch is listed separately if available. • Reservations for the deal menus are almost a must. We say almost because the restaurants will book limited numbers of tables for Restaurant Month or Flavor diners per service. This is most important on weekend nights. Both websites offer reservation links. • Without a reservation, as a walk-in, you will need to ask for the Downtown Delray Restaurant Month or Flavor Palm Beach menu; it’s not guaranteed. • Restaurants do not combine their specials menu with any other deals. All offer their regular menus, however. • A prix fixe menu is for one diner only. Tax, tip and alcohol are not included. Most restaurants offer wine or a special cocktail for an additional price.
John G’s expanding
John G’s in Manalapan, a longtime favorite of locals, is cooking up franchise opportunities in South Florida. An institution in Palm Beach County since 1973, now in Manalapan, the restaurant was sold in May, and new owners are offering franchise opportunities. One is already in the works. The first new location will be in Port St. Lucie, with a projected opening in early September, according to General Manager Napoleon Barone. He would not name the precise location “until all is settled.” But it’s a pre-existing spot, ready to go. The restaurant in Plaza Del Mar was sold by the original Giragos family in 2019 to Doris and Laurent Di Meglio. The Boca Raton couple are restaurateurs who made minimal changes to the menu. Their biggest switch was accepting credit cards. In March, the couple sold the nautical-themed cafe, famous for its breakfasts and fish and chips, to a Canadian businessman, Barone said. The owners are listed as The Sikellis Group LLC, with Charalambos Sikellis and Nexhmije Hoxha its authorized members, according to Florida Division of Corporation records. Online reports show the Sikellis family have been involved in restaurant franchises in Quebec. Future John G's locations could include Boynton Beach and Boca Raton, Barone said. Plans are for at least nine John G’s to be in South Florida in the next five years, he said. “We’re planning to come south from Port St. Lucie — Jupiter, West Palm Beach, Boca, maybe even into Miami.” The restaurant has strong ties to Palm Beach County, having served countless meals
in its original spot at the casino building fronting the Lake Worth Beach pier. It’s nostalgic for many diners who remember the long lines around the building on weekends, and trays of chocolate-covered fruits served by founder John Giragos as patrons stood in the hot sun. There were no reservations: Tourists, celebrities and locals put their names on the list and waited together for a seat. Fresh roses were on every table. Longtime servers knew many guests by name and their favorite food orders. It was a family affair, as well, with John’s daughter Wendy Yarbrough handling front-of-house duties, and sons Jay and Keith cooking. Best sellers off the menu included the cinnamon-nut French toast, and the fish and chips served with a unique tartar sauce, slaw and a corn fritter. On Fridays, the seafood chowder was in big demand. For years, a takeout window for the restaurant at the beachfront sold bags of sliders, the two-piece “petite” order of fish and chips and a fritter, and soup containers of gazpacho. At this time, there are no plans for out-of-state franchises, despite some interest in putting one in New York, his native home, Barone said. “We’re not set up for that yet.”
Man Ray in Lake Worth
The mod new restaurant Man Ray opened at 522 Lucerne Ave. in Lake Worth Beach — the former C.W.S. bar — in August. It’s from the Subculture Group, the same one behind Dada in Delray Beach and Tryst in Boca Raton. Billed as “retro-American” with an “artistic wink,” the menu is a mix of old and modern takes on casual foods. What’s different is the origin of each dish listed alongside on the menu. There’s Barb’s Cheese Ball, from Cheshire, Massachusetts — a mix of goat cheese, almonds and cherries served with good old Ritz crackers.
The beer-grilled chicken wings are from Decatur, Alabama, served with a white barbecue sauce typical of the Cotton State. A Faroe Island cedar plank salmon, served with huckleberry-miso, asparagus teriyaki, and furikake granola, comes from Seattle. French dip is from Los Angeles, the “Out & In Style Smashed Burger” is from Baldwin Park, California. No sign of Florida on the menu, but Man Ray, the artist, was unconventional, too. Man Ray, 522 Lucerne Ave., Lake Worth Beach. Phone 561335-3329; sub-culture.org. Open 5-11 p.m. daily.
Pigsty BBQ reopens
We wrote about Pigsty BBQ in Boynton Beach closing last month, but they recently announced a reopening, in partnership with The Bungalow. Pigsty will be serving their menu at the indoor/outdoor bar at 511 N. Fourth St. in Boynton Beach where live music is a draw. Tom and Nicole Rhodemyer, owners of the barbecue spot that closed after a decade on Boynton Beach Boulevard described the joint venture as a “win-win relationship,” giving them an outlet to serve their popular ’cue without a prohibitive overhead. They'll have the smoker on site, serving many of the popular items from the restaurant, along with sides and specials. The menu is being tweaked, they wrote on their website. For a month, Pigsty will operate during The Bungalow’s hours, Wednesday-Thursday, 4-11 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, noon to midnight, and Sunday noon to 11 p.m., but plan to open for lunch daily after they are settled in. Jan Norris is a food writer who can be reached at nativefla@gmail. com.
The COASTAL STAR
September 2026
On the Water/Outdoors Calendar AT11
On the Water
September is open season for snook; here are tips for catching them
S
nook fight hard and are delicious to eat, and there’s no better time to catch the fish than September. The snook season opened Sept. 1 after a three-month closure on the Atlantic coast. One of Florida’s most popular saltwater gamefish, snook are protected during the summer because that’s when they gather at inlets as they prepare to spawn and are easy to target. After spawning in Palm Beach County, many snook head back into the Intracoastal Waterway and local canals. But a bunch remain in inlets in Boca Raton, Boynton Beach, Lake Worth Beach and Jupiter, as well as off beaches, where they can be caught on live bait and a variety of lures such as jigs, plugs and soft-plastic baitfish imitations. Because snook are so fun to catch and so good to eat, they are intensely managed by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Anglers along the Atlantic coast are allowed to keep only one snook per day with a total length of 28 to 32 inches. The season is closed from June 1 to Aug. 31. The open season is Sept. 1-Dec. 14, then it closes Dec. 15-Jan. 31, when the potential for cold weather can make snook so lethargic that unethical anglers could simply scoop up the fish with a landing net. The season reopens from Feb. 1 through May 31. Boat docks and bridges also harbor snook this time of year. Snook hang around pilings and wait for the tide to bring baitfish or shrimp. Anglers who fish at night prefer bridges and docks with lights and fish their baits and lures, so they drift from the light side of the shadow line to the dark side. If you’re fishing a
Steve Anderson holds Harvey Shane’s 33-pound snook. The best spots to snag the popular gamefish are in the Intracoastal Waterway, local canals, inlets in Boca Raton, Boynton Beach, Lake Worth Beach and Jupiter, as well as off beaches. Photo provided 60 years ago, said bridges across the bridges. dock without lights, cast your Greene said he’d cast a Flair the Intracoastal Waterway from lure or bait under the dock and Hawk jig and bounce it on the let it sink to where the snook are Boca Raton to Palm Beach can bottom parallel to the bridge be snook hot spots at the start waiting. Tom Greene of Lighthouse and along the shadow line. of the outgoing and incoming Point, who grew up fishing for “The secret of snook fishing tides. The fish will almost always is that snook are feeding snook in Boca Raton more than be on the down current side of
Outdoors Calendar SEPTEMBER 5
Saturday - 9/5 - Outdoor Marine Aquarium Feedings at Gumbo Limbo Nature Center, 1801 N Ocean Blvd, Boca Raton. All ages; child must be accompanied by an adult. Daily 12:30 pm. Free. 561-5448605; gumbolimbo.org 9/5-6 - Nature Connections at Gumbo Limbo Nature Center, 1801 N Ocean Blvd, Boca Raton. Meet in the amphitheater for a short presentation featuring native flora and fauna All ages; children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Every Sat/Sun. 11:30 am. Free. 561-544-8605; gumbolimbo.org 9/5-6 - Education Explorations at Gumbo Limbo Environmental Complex, 1801 N Ocean Blvd, Boca Raton. Each month a different topic is presented. All ages; minors must be accompanied by an adult. 1-3 pm. Free. 561-544-8605; gumbolimbo.org 9/5-6 - Parks for Pollinators BioBlitz Bonanza! at Gumbo Limbo Nature Center, 1801 N Ocean Blvd, Boca Raton. All ages; children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. 1-3 pm. Free. 561-544-8605; gumbolimbo.org
SEPTEMBER 6-12
Tuesday - 9/8 - Island Treks at Gumbo Limbo Nature Center, 1801 N Ocean Blvd, Boca Raton. Visitors will be guided on a short trek along the shaded boardwalk
through the tropical hardwood hammock forest, pausing for some intracoastal views through the mangroves. All ages; child must be accompanied by an adult. Every T 10-10:30 am. Free. 561-544-8605; gumbolimbo.org Saturday - 9/12 - Intracoastal Adventures: Intro to Kayaking at Gumbo Limbo Nature Center, 1801 N Ocean Blvd, Boca Raton. Ages 7-adult; each child under 13 must be accompanied by one adult. 9-10:30 am. $20/resident & member; $25/non-member. Registration: 561-5448605; gumbolimbo.org
SEPTEMBER 13-19
Sunday - 9/13 - Family Fun Snorkel
at Gumbo Limbo Nature Center, 1801 N Ocean Blvd, Boca Raton. Snorkel shallow intracoastal waters, study animals sheltered/protected from ocean’s dangers. Bring your own snorkel, mask, water shoes (no fins allowed). Ages 10-adult; child under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. 9-10:30 am. $15/member; $19/ non-member. Registration: 561-544-8605; gumbolimbo.org Saturday - 9/19 - International Coastal Cleanup at Spanish River Park, 3001 N Ocean Blvd, Boca Raton. All ages; child under 18 must participate w/an adult. 8-11 am. Free. Registration required: 561-5448612; gumbolimbo.org
SEPTEMBER 20-26
Sunday - 9/20 - Seining the Lagoon at Gumbo Limbo Nature Center, 1801 N
Ocean Blvd, Boca Raton. Explore grasses/ flats of the Intracoastal Waterway behind Gumbo Limbo. Wear clothes that can get wet. Closed toed shoes required. Ages 7-adult; child must be accompanied by an adult. 9-10:30 am. $15/member; $19/nonmember. Reservations required: 561-5448605; gumbolimbo.org Thursday - 9/24 - Early Birding w/Al at Gumbo Limbo Nature Center, 1801 N Ocean Blvd, Boca Raton. Learn about native & migratory birds from an experienced birder; walk the Ashley Trail/boardwalk. Binoculars recommended. Meet on nature center front porch. Age 10+; child must be accompanied by an adult. 8:30-10 am. Free. 561-544-8605; gumbolimbo.org Saturday - 9/26 - Coast Guard Auxiliary Boat America: A Boating Safety Course at Harvey E. Oyer, Jr. Park, 2010
on the bottom, not on top,” said Greene, although he acknowledged that the fish will occasionally hit a topwater lure. For those who prefer to fish in canals, Greene suggested slowly trolling diving plugs from a small boat early in the morning and in the evening. He said kayak anglers should fish early and cast plugs or DOA plastic shrimp around sea walls and docks. Rain also plays a role in snook fishing this time of year. After heavy rains, spillways in South Florida are opened to release the excess water into the Intracoastal. Snook wait at the spillways to feed on small freshwater fish such as bluegills, shad and shiners that are swept through the water control structures. Greene said top spillways include those in Boca Raton, Boynton Beach and Lake Worth Beach. His favorite way to fish the spillways is to hook a live or dead bluegill, shad or shiner through the bottom of the mouth and out through the top on a half- or three-eighthsounce jig. He casts the bait into the fast-moving water at the mouth of the spillway and bounces the jig on the bottom. “I would find myself at a spillway at daylight and fish that,” Greene said. “If you can’t make the daylight bite, fish a spillway late in the afternoon. If you have to work all night, you can still fish them in the middle of the day because fish at spillways will eat all day.” Outdoors writer Steve Waters can be reached at steve33324@aol. com.
N Federal Hwy, Boynton Beach. Boating terminology, boat handling, navigation rules, regulations, more. Course provides knowledge needed to obtain a boating certificate; possible insurance discount. 8 am-3 pm. $35/paypal; $30/cash. 561-3126439; birdlover5@bellsouth.net 9/26 - Intracoastal Adventures: Advanced Stand Up Paddleboarding at Gumbo Limbo Nature Center, 1801 N Ocean Blvd, Boca Raton. Short talk about South Florida’s unique animals/ecosystems. Ages 13-adult; children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. 9-10:30 am. $20/ member; $25/non-member. 561-544-8615; gumbolimbo.org
AT12 Religion Notes
The COASTAL STAR
September 2026
Religion Notes
Temple Beth El’s Lunch and Learn to examine Israeli election
Temple Beth El’s Lunch and Learn for September features educator Michael Hollander discussing “Israel Votes 2026 — Never Has There Been Such an Important Election,” at noon on four consecutive Tuesdays, Sept. 8-29, on the Schaefer Family Campus in Boca Raton and virtually via Zoom. Hollander says some of the most popular questions he Hollander is asked about Israel are: “Why is the Israeli system of governance so crazy? Why does everything feel like such a ‘balagan’ here?” referring to a state of chaos. Hollander, a licensed Israeli tour guide and scholar with more than 30 years of experience teaching Jewish history, Zionism, and Israeli society, designed this series to help people understand the nature of Israeli democracy and how the Israeli political system and elections work. Sessions include “How a People Without Power Became a Powerful People”; “Continued Challenges to Israeli Democracy”; the parties and leaders, platforms and issues in
the 2026 election, scheduled for Oct. 27; and what comes after the election. For more information, call 561-391-8900 or go to tbeboca. org.
featuring original music by new cantorial associate Todd Herzog, and oneg (social gathering) follow the podcast. Register at tbeboca.shulcloud.com or call 561-391-8900.
Lectio Divina prayer circle at St. Gregory’s church
Bondi Beach terrorist attack survivor to speak
The Center for Spiritual Formation hosts a prayer circle facilitated by Rosie Sandoval at 10 a.m. Sept. 5 and Oct. 3 in St. Mary’s Chapel at St. Gregory’s Episcopal Church, 100 NE Mizner Blvd., Boca Raton. This contemplative prayer experience meets for 30 to 40 minutes of Lectio Divina, the ancient Christian practice of using Holy Scripture to center prayer. Beginners are welcome. Contact Sandoval at Rose@rosesandoval.com.
Rabbis featured in Temple Beth El podcast premiere
Join the audience for the live launch and recording of the podcast “Essential Questions with Soul” at 7 p.m. Sept. 5 at the Schaefer Family Campus of Temple Beth El, 333 SW Fourth Ave., Boca Raton. Rabbis Dan Levin, Greg Weisman, Laila Haas and Ashira Boxman will explore life’s deepest question: What is the soul? Selichot services,
Leibel Lazaroff, the 20-yearold survivor of the December 2025 terrorist attack at a Chanukah celebration on Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, will speak at Boca Beach Chabad’s Souls of Sydney Lazaroff Breakfast at 10 a.m. Sept. 7. The special Labor Day event will feature Lazaroff’s firsthand account of the violent event, followed by High Holiday music. Lazaroff was helping Chabad of Bondi organize for its “Chanukah by the Sea” celebration on Dec. 14 when terrorists opened fire on the crowd, killing 15 people and injuring dozens more. Lazaroff had been helping a gravely injured police officer before he was shot in the abdomen and leg. He waited 45 minutes for an ambulance.
Since his recovery, Lazaroff has been sharing his story around the country. His message focuses on what Jews choose to do in response to terrorist attacks. The program is part of Boca Beach Chabad’s Souls of Sydney initiative, which hopes to transform the tragedy into positive Jewish action. The breakfast talk takes place at Boca Beach Chabad Jewish Center, 490 E. Palmetto Park Road, Boca Raton. Reservations are required at BocaBeachChabad.com/ SOSBreakfast. Call 561-3949770 or visit bocabeachchabad. com with questions.
CityLead Boca seeks to inspire business leaders
Boca Raton Community Church hosts CityLead Boca from noon to 1 p.m. Sept. 10, Oct. 8 and Nov. 12 at the church, 470 NW Fourth Ave. This monthly event for the business community is designed to inspire leaders to use their influence to serve others and transform the city. Reservations are recommended. $20 includes lunch. Doors open at 11:30 a.m. for networking. 561-395-2400; citylead.com/boca/.
Feast to fight hunger features Italian cuisine
St. Jude Catholic Church hosts the Feast of San Gennaro, sponsored by the Saint Jude Hunger Program, from 6 to 9 p.m. Sept. 12 in Mount Carmel Hall at the church, 21689 Toledo Road, Boca Raton. Enjoy Italian cuisine, beer and wine, music and conversation, raffles and prizes. Tickets for the event are $35 for adults, $12-$15 for children at stjudeboca.org/newsevents or call the church at 561-392-8172.
Biblical conversation explores what is inclusion
Join “A Biblical Conversation With Father Andrew” on two Sundays — Sept. 13 and 20 — following the 10 a.m. service at St. Gregory’s Episcopal Church, 100 NE Mizner Blvd., Boca Raton. Father Andrew Sherman invites you to join him for a deep dive into Holy Scripture to explore the biblical conversation regarding inclusion. Meet at 11:45 a.m. in the second-floor conference room. Bring your Bibles. 561395-8285; office@st-gregorys. com; stgregorysepiscopal.org. Continued on the next page
The COASTAL STAR
September 2026
Continued from previous page
Evensong music steeped in Anglican church tradition Under the direction of Tim Brumfield, director of music, organist and choirmaster at St. Gregory’s, Choral Evensong is a beautiful service that features the choir performing stirring music steeped in the Anglican tradition. Evensong takes place at 6 p.m. Sept. 27 at the church, 100 NE Mizner Blvd., Boca Raton. 561-395-8285 or stgregorysepiscopal.org.
PJ Library, Levis JCC to host Pizza in the Hut celebration
The PJ Library and Levis JCC host Pizza in the Hut, a Sukkah celebration, from 4 to 6 p.m. Sept. 29 in Cypress Preserve in the back parking lot of the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County campus at 9901
Donna Klein Blvd., Boca Raton. This family event features pizza, arts and crafts, storytelling and games. The cost is $10 per child and reservations are required at jewishboca.org/events/pizzain-the-hut-sukkah/ or email pjlibrary@jewishboca.org.
Bring Fido, other pets to annual Blessing of the Pets
St. Gregory’s will host its annual Blessing of the Pets at 9 a.m. Oct. 3 on the southwest corner of the church grounds, 100 NE Mizner Blvd., Boca Raton. All pets are invited. The event highlights the youth group’s annual pet food drive. Bring unopened canned and dry pet food to support shelter pets. 561-395-8285; office@stgregorys. com; stgregorysepiscopal.org.
Newcomers invited to special welcome brunch
Father Andrew Sherman and Anita Sherman welcome newcomers to St. Gregory’s to a special brunch following the 10 a.m. service on Oct. 4. Children are welcome at this event in the rectory, across from the church parking lot at 245 NE Second St., Boca Raton. Newcomer classes with Father Andrew begin Oct. 11. Classes run five weeks with childcare available for each session. 561395-8285; office@st-gregorys. com; stgregorysepiscopal.org.
Judge to speak at B’nai Torah Congregation
U.S. District Judge Roy K. Altman, a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, will speak at 7 p.m. Oct. 15 at B’nai Torah
Religion Notes/Calendar AT13
Congregation, 6261 SW 18th St., Boca Raton. As part of the 2026-27 Author Series, he will discuss his book Israel Altman on Trial: Examining the History, the Evidence, and the Law. Altman was born in 1982 in Caracas, Venezuela, and the Jewish jurist was the youngest federal district court judge in the United States when he was appointed in 2019 to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. Altman’s book, using historical, archaeological and genealogical evidence, analyzes the factual accuracy of six claims Israel’s adversaries have advanced about the Jewish state.
Tickets are $18. Registration is required. Register at btcboca. shulcloud.com/form/israel-ontrial or call 561-392-8566.
Buy honey to support Beth Ami Congregation
Congregation Beth Ami in Boca Raton is holding a fundraiser called “Honey from the Heart,” which ships an 8-ounce jar of premium kosher honey to your loved one. The cost: $18 per jar plus $8 for shipping. Proceeds support Beth Ami Congregation. orthoney. com.
Janis Fontaine writes about people of faith, their congregations, causes and community events. Contact her at fontaine423@ outlook.com. Her Finding Faith column will return next month.
Religion Calendar Note: Events are current as of 8/26. Please check with organizers for any changes.
SEPTEMBER 5
Saturday - 9/5 - Selichot Service at B’nai Torah Congregation, 6261 SW 18th St, Boca Raton. Doors open 8:15 pm. Free. Registration: 561-392-8566; btcboca.org
SEPTEMBER 6-12
Sunday - 9/6 - Zoom Bible Study at Ascension Catholic Church, 7250 N Federal Hwy, Boca Raton. Every Sun 7 pm. Free. Zoom link: communications#accboca.net; 561-997-5486; ascensionboca.org Monday - 9/7 - Women’s Bible Study via Zoom at First Presbyterian Church of Delray Beach, 33 Gleason St. Every M 10 am. Free. 561-276-6338; firstdelray.com 9/7- Rosary for Peace at St. Vincent Ferrer Family Life Center, 840 George Bush Blvd, Delray Beach. Every M 5:45-6:15 pm. Free. 561-276-6892; stvincentferrer.com Tuesday - 9/8- Tuesday Morning Prayer Service at Unity of Delray Beach Church, 101 NW 22nd St. 10 am. Free. 561-2765796; unityofdelraybeach.org Wednesday - 9/9 - Men’s Spirituality Hour via Zoom at St. Gregory’s Episcopal Church, 100 NE Mizner Blvd, Boca Raton. Every W 8 am. Free. For link: 561-395-8285; stgregorysepiscopal.org 9/9 - Wednesday Evening Meditation Service at Unity of Delray Beach Church, 101 NW 22nd St. 6:30 pm. Free; love offering. 561-276-5796; unityofdelraybeach.org Thursday - 9/10 - Thursday Morning Telephone Prosperity Coffee presented by Unity of Delray Beach Church, 101 NW 22nd St. Phone meeting (605-475-6006, passcode 3031030). Free; love offering. 561-276-5796; unityofdelraybeach.org 9/10 - Men’s Fellowship at First Presbyterian Church of Delray Beach Courtyard, 33 Gleason St. Every Th 8:30 am. Free. 561-276-6338; firstdelray.com 9/10 - Women’s Bible Study at St. Gregory’s Episcopal Church Youth Room, 100 NE Mizner Blvd, Boca Raton. Every Th 1 pm. Free. 561-395-8285; stgregorysepiscopal.org Friday - 9/11 - Legion of Mary at St. Vincent Ferrer Family Life Center, 840 George Bush Blvd, Delray Beach. Every F 9:30-11 am. Free. 561-276-6892; stvincentferrer.com 9/11 - Bible Study w/Dave Kirk at Advent Boca Raton Fellowship Hall, 300 E Yamato Rd. Every F 10-11:30 am. 561-3953632; adventboca.org 9/11 - Virtual Shabbat Service at Temple Sinai of Palm Beach County, 2475 W Atlantic Ave, Delray Beach. Every F 7:30 pm. Free. 561-276-6161; templesinaipbc.org
Religious institutions of all faiths are invited to be included in this paid feature. For more info, call 561-337-1553.
AT14 High Holy Days/Calendar
The COASTAL STAR
High Holy Days Calendar Shana tovah! We wish you a happy and sweet new year! Rosh Hashanah, sometimes called the Days of Awe, begins at sundown Sept. 11 and ends after nightfall Sept. 13. Days are spent in the synagogue, with fasting and prayer a focus at home as well. A highlight for many is the blowing of the shofar. Tashlich, meaning “to cast,” takes place in the late afternoon Sept. 13, and features special verses recited next to a body of water, such as a sea, river, stream, lake or pond. Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, is the holiest day of the year, when families come together for fasting and prayer. It begins at sunset on Sept. 20, with Kol Nidre, the first prayer, recited at the evening service. Here are service times at local synagogues, temples and chabads:
B’NAI TORAH CONGREGATION
6261 SW 18th St., Boca Raton btcboca.org; 561-392-8566. Rosh Hashanah 6 pm - 9/11 Erev Rosh Hashanah 8:30 am-12:30 pm - 9/12 First Day Main Sanctuary service 8:45-9:45 am - 9/12 First Day young family service 9-11:30 am - 9/12 Weiner Cultural Center service 10:30 am-noon - 9/12 First Day youth service 6-8 pm - 9/12 First Day Mincha/Ma’ariv 8:30 am-12:30 pm - 9/13 Second Day Main Sanctuary service 8:45-9:45 am - 9/13 Second Day young family service 9-11:30 am - 9/13 Weiner Cultural Center service 10:30 am-noon - 9/13 Second Day youth service 4:45-6 pm - 9/13 Tashlich 7:15-9 pm - 9/13 Second Day Mincha/Ma’ariv Yom Kippur 6:15-9 pm - 9/20 Erev Yom Kippur Mincha service/Kol Nidre in the main sanctuary. 6:30-9 pm - 9/20 Erev Yom Kippur Mincha Service/Kol Nidre in Weiner Cultural Center. : 6:45-8 pm - 9/20 Erev Yom Kippur/Kol Nidre Teen Discussion 8:45-9:45 am - 9/21 Yom Kippur Young Family Service 9 am-1 pm - 9/21 Yom Kippur & Yizkor Main Sanctuary Service 9-11:30 am - 9/21 Yom Kippur & Yizkor Weiner Cultural Center Service 10:30 am-noon - 9/21 Yom Kippur Youth Service
BOCA BEACH JEWISH CENTER CHABAD
490 E Palmetto Park Road., Boca Raton bocabeachchabad.com; 561-394-9770. Tickets are not required but reservations are needed for meals.
Rosh Hashanah 7:11 pm - 9/11 Erev Rosh Hashanah candle lighting followed by Mincha/Maariv at 7:15 pm and a community dinner by reservation only at 8. 9 am - 9/12 Morning services 10 am-1 pm - 9/12 Children’s Program 10-11 am - 9/12 Explanatory Service with Rabbi Yosef New 11 am - 9/12 Sermon in the Main Sanctuary 11:30 am - 9/12 Musaf followed by Kiddush Lunch & Farbrengen 6:30 pm - 9/12 Pre-Mincha Lecture by Rabbi Barber 7:15 pm - 9/12 Mincha 8:02 pm - 9/12 Candle lighting 8:15 pm - 9/12 Community Dinner; reservations required 9 am - 9/13 Morning Services 10 am-1 pm - 9/13 Children’s Program 10-11 am - 9/13 Explanatory Service with Rabbi Yosef New 11 am - 9/13 Sermon in the Main Sanctuary 11:30 am -9/13 Shofar Blowing 11:45 am - 9/13 Musaf followed by Kiddush Lunch & Farbrengen 6 pm - 9/13 Mincha 6:30 pm - 9/13 Tashlich and a second shofar blowing at Wildflower Park on the northeast corner of Fifth Ave. and Palmetto Park Road. 7:30 pm - 9/13 Lecture with Rabbi Barber Yom Kippur 7:30 am - 9/20 Morning services 3:30 pm -9/20 Mincha 7:01 pm 9/20 Candle lighting and fast begins 7:15 pm - 9/20 Kol Nidrei 7:15 pm - 9/20 Children’s Program 9 am - 9/21 Morning Services 10-11 am - 9/21 Explanatory Service with Rabbi Yosef New 10:30 am-2 pm - 9/21 Children’s Program 11:45 am - 9/21 Sermon in the main sanctuary 12:15 pm - 9/21 Yizkor 12:30 pm - 9/21 Musaf 5:15 pm - 9/21 Mincha 6:30 pm - 9/21 Neila and Shofar Blowing 7:52 pm - 9/21 Fast ends
THE NESHAMAH INSTITUTE
19140 Lyons Road, Boca Raton niboca.org; 561-368-1199. Rosh Hashanah 10 am-12:30 pm - 9/12 Services are held at the Performing Arts Theater at Atlantic Community High School, 2445 W Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach. Tickets are needed. Yom Kippur 7:30 pm - 9/20 Kol Nidrei 10 am - 9/21 First Day services 1:30 pm - 9/21 Yizkor 6:30 pm - 9/21 Beach Havdalah; location in Delray Beach provided on registration at niboca.org/high-holy-days-beach-havdalah/.
CONGREGATION B’NAI ISRAEL
2200 Yamato Road, Boca Raton 561-241-8118; cbiboca.org. Rosh Hashanah 7 pm - 9/11 Erev Rosh Hashanah Service; ticket required 9 am - 9/12 Rosh Hashanah Children’s Service;
September 2026
High Holy Days ticket required. 11 am - 9/12 Sanctuary Service; ticket required. 11 am - 9/12 Rosh Hashanah Junior Congregation; ticket required. 1:30 pm - 9/12 Tashlich; no tickets but register. 10 am - 9/13 Family Prayer Experience; reverse Tashlich; ticket required. 11 am - 9/13 Rosh Hashanah Day II Sanctuary Service; no tickets but register. Yom Kippur 7 pm - 9/20 Kol Nidre Sanctuary Service; ticket required. 9 am - 9/21 Children’s Service; ticket required. 11 am - 9/21 Sanctuary Service; ticket required. 11 am - 9/21 Junior Congregation, ticket required. 3 pm - 9/21 Fast Talk; no tickets but register. 4:30 pm - 9/21 Afternoon Mincha followed by Yizkor, Neilah, Havdalah and Sounding of Shofar. No tickets but register.
TEMPLE BETH EL
333 SW Fourth Ave., Boca Raton 391-8900; tbeboca.org. All services except Tashlich are held on the Schaefer Family Campus. Rosh Hashanah 7:30 pm - 9/11 Erev Rosh Hashanah services 10 am - 9/12 Morning Congregational worship service; no tickets. 1:30-2:30 pm - 9/12 Family participation service; tickets required. 4-5 pm - 9/12 Young children’s service; no tickets. 10 am - 9/13 Congregational Worship; no tickets. 4-5 pm - 9/13 Tashlich at Spanish River Library, 1501 NW Spanish River Blvd., Boca Raton; no tickets. Yom Kippur 7:30-9:30 pm - 9/20 Candlelight Kol Nidre service; tickets are required. 9-9:45 - 9/21 Young Children’s Service; no tickets needed, but pre-register. 10:30 am-1 pm - 9/21 Morning Congregational Worship Service and Yom Kippur Morning in the Chapel. Tickets are required. 1:45-3:15 pm - 9/21 Family Participation Service; tickets are required. 2:30-3:15 pm - 9/21 Service of Healing and Renewal; tickets are not required. 4-6 pm - 9/21 Afternoon Congregational Worship Service with Yizkor; tickets are not required.
BETH AMI CONGREGATION
1401 NW Fourth Ave., Boca Raton 561-347-0031 or bethamicongregationboca. com/. Tickets are required. Rosh Hashanah 7:30-10:30 pm - 9/11 Erev Rosh Hashanah Service 9:30-10 am - 9/12 Rosh Hashanah Preschool Service 10:30 am-1:15 pm - 9/12 Shacharit, the main service 1:30-1:45 pm - 9/12 Tashlich, a symbolic service where participants cast away sins into the water. 2:30-3:45 pm - 9/12 Teen Service Yom Kippur 7 pm - 9/20 Kol Nidre service 9 am - 9/21 Yom Kippur Services 11 am - 9/21 Yizkor
THE JEWISH FEDERATION OF SOUTH PALM BEACH COUNTY
9901 Donna Klein Blvd., Boca Raton jewishboca.org. Rabbi Josh Broide leads services in the Zinman Hall. All seats are $50.
Rabbi Leibel Stolik of Chabad of South Palm Beach blows the shofar as his son, Dovber, 6, and grandson, Yoef, 2, look on. Photo provided
Shofar along the coast
On Sept. 13, the second day of Rosh Hashanah, Rabbi Leibel Stolik of Chabad of South Palm Beach will continue his practice of blowing the traditional horn for the community. Stolik will hold Tashlich services beginning at 3:30 p.m. at the Lantana Nature Preserve, 440 E. Ocean Ave. Afterward, the rabbi will stop at these communities: 4 p.m. at the Carlisle; 4:15 at
Mayfair House; 4:30 at the Barclay; 4:45 at the Patrician; 5:05 at the Atriums, and 5:40 at the east end of the Lake Worth Bridge. The shofar finale will take place at 6 p.m. at Lake Worth Beach Cultural Plaza, 414 Lake Ave., under the banyan tree. For more information, contact Chabad at 561-351-1633 or chabadspb.org.
Rosh Hashanah 7 pm - 9/11 Erev Rosh Hashanah evening services 9 and 11 am - 9/12 Morning services; blowing of the shofar at both services. Yom Kippur 7 pm - 9/20 Kol Nidre evening services 9 and 11 am - 9/21 Yizkor services
10-11 am - 9/21 Services 7 pm - 9/21 Neilah followed by break fast.
TEMPLE BETH SHALOM OF BOCA
19140 Lyons Road, Boca Raton 561-483-5557; templebethshalomboca.org/. Rosh Hashanah 6 pm - 9/11 Erev Rosh Hashanah Services Dinner following services; reservations needed. 9 am - 9/12 First Day Services 6 pm - 9/12 Mincha Services 9 am - 9/13 Second Day Services; Tashlich follows. Yom Kippur 6:45 pm - 9/20 Mincha followed by Kol Nidre Services 9 am - 9/21 Yom Kippur Services including Yizkor 4 pm - 9/21 Community Yizkor 5:45 pm - 9/21 Mincha followed by Neilah 8 pm - 9/21 Blowing of the Shofar followed by Break the Fast dinner. Reservations required for dinner.
CHABAD OF EAST DELRAY
101 SE Second Ave., Delray Beach jewisheastdelray.com/event-details/highholidays-2026 or 954-283-7261. No tickets are required but reservations are requested. Rosh Hashanah 10 am - 9/12 and 9/13 Services; followed by the blowing of the shofar at 11 am. Families are invited to use the supervised children’s room for ages 2 and older from 10 am-noon. Kids will enjoy toys, activities, games and snacks while parents participate in services. Yom Kippur 7-8 pm - 9/20 Kol Nidre
— Janis Fontaine
TEMPLE SINAI PALM BEACH COUNTY
2475 W. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach 561-276-6161; templesinaipbc.org/. Rosh Hashanah 7:30 pm - 9/11 Erev Rosh Hashana with dinner; tickets required. 10 am - 9/12 Morning services; tickets required. 1:15 pm - 9/12 Tashlich service; no ticket. 1:30 pm -9/12 Family Service; no ticket. 10 am - 9/13 Second Day service, no ticket. Yom Kippur 7:30 pm - 9/20 Kol Nidre service; tickets required. 9:30 am - 9/20 Yom Kippur and Yizkor; tickets required. 1 pm - 9/20 Family service; no tickets. 1:45 pm - 9/20 Afternoon service ;tickets required. 4:30 pm - 9/20 Community Yizkor service; tickets required. 5:15 pm - 9/20 Neilah and concluding service; no tickets.
CHABAD OF SOUTH PALM BEACH
224 S. Ocean Blvd., Lantana chabadspb.org; 561-889-3499. Rosh Hashanah 7:15 pm - 9/11 Erev Rosh Hashanah Evening Services followed by a 4-course Rosh Hashanah Dinner $45. RSVP at chabadspb.org/ rhdinner. 9:30 am - 9/12 and 9/13 Morning Services followed by a holiday luncheon. Yom Kippur 7 pm - 9/20 Kol Nidre and Maariv 9:30 am - 9/21 Morning services Noon - 9/21 Yizkor Remembrance 5:30 pm - 9/21 Mincha and Neilah 7:40 pm - 9/21 Fast ends and breakfast
The COASTAL STAR
September 2026
Paws Up for Pets AT15
Paws Up for Pets
A
Peace of Mind finds care for your pets after you die
s I write this column, I am surrounded by my five pets. They feel safe and loved by me. But I find myself asking the question that impacts many pet parents: What will happen to my pets should I need long-term hospitalization or worse, die? It was a question Jackie Sims, of Delray Beach, asked herself more than a decade ago. Back in 2015, she shared her home with two cats named Lexi and Kumi. “I was about to rewrite my will to include them because I found myself wondering, what would happen to them if they would out-survive me?” Sims said. She reached out to Peggy Adams Rescue League officials to inquire about whether they had a program that would guarantee care for her cats. “Jackie Sims is the reason we have our Peace of Mind program here at Peggy Adams,” said Kim Hanson, senior philanthropy officer. “She found a program in Denver but could not find one in our area. She is the one who got us started.” The Peace of Mind program at Peggy Adams officially began Sept. 1, 2015, after shelter officials traveled to Denver to learn more about the program there. “Today, more major shelters are able to offer such programs,” said Hanson. “Some may call them Forever Friends; some refer to guardianships. We call ours Peace of Mind. It is created so that people know their Hanson cats or dogs are cared for the second that something happens to them. The animals receive a full medical evaluation upon their arrival here and then go into our adoption program to find a loving family.” Today, Sims’ cat is Willow, who is 13 and “living her best life.” Willow is enrolled in the program. “Peggy Adams offers me that peace of mind,” said Sims. “I am confident that Willow would be well taken care of at Peggy Adams should something happen to me.” Hanson explains that Peggy Adams’ program asks for a donation of $25,000 to enroll up to three pets in Peace of Mind. Arrangements can be made to
Emergency tips
Carry a pet alert card in your wallet that alerts first responders of the pets you have at home and info on a trusted person they can contact to care for your pets if you are injured or killed. Many animal welfare groups provide these pet alert wallet cards online that you can print for free. Post decals on your door or window that alert firefighters and police of the type and number of pets inside your home. The ASPCA offers free decals upon request. Visit secure.aspca.org/take-action/pet-safetypack. Many municipalities in Palm Beach County enable residents to download household information (including pets) in a secure portal called Community Connect that can be quickly accessed by first responders during an emergency, such as a house fire. Visit your own city or town’s website for details on how to register.
These two cats were given to Peggy Adams as part of the program when their owner passed. After a short stint, they were adopted as a pair to a loving home. Photo provided have that amount earmarked in the decedent’s estate, through a will, living trust, life insurance policy, a retirement account or bank account to be paid upon the death of the pet parent. It does not have to be contributed at the time of enrollment. “In cases of an accident or emergency to the pet owner, first responders very often take surviving pets to Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control,” explains Hanson. “It is very important for pet owners to list Peggy Adams as an emergency contact on their pet’s microchip and to alert their personal representatives to be sure the pet is brought to us should an emergency or accident occur.” Informal arrangements, such as relatives or friends agreeing verbally to care for pets of people who die, are not legally enforceable. And, sadly, sometimes these people change their minds, and the pets are surrendered to animal control or kill shelters. Recently, Terri King, a certified public accountant, saw the Peace of Mind program at work. She represented a woman who died in June and had enrolled her two beloved
10-year-old cats. King was immediately notified and was able to take the black-and-white pair to welcoming, comfortable space at Peggy Adams. “They were at Peggy Adams for only two weeks before they got adopted together,” said King. “The Peggy Adams staff honored my client’s wishes for these cats. People with pets should always have a plan in place if something happens to them.” Parting message: National shelter statistics show that more than 500,000 pets are surrendered to shelters because their owners died and had not made plans for the pets’ continued care. Unfortunately, many healthy, adoptable pets are euthanized due to space constraints and the inability to find new homes. Please plan for the care of your pets now for your peace of mind. Arden Moore is an author, pet podcast show host and master certified pet first aid instructor. Check out her sites at ardenmoore.com.
Learn more about legally protecting pets Each August is designated as Make A Will Month. This is an annual reminder to ensure your estate planning documents are current and accessible for your loved ones to honor your wishes. For more details about Peggy Adams’ Peace of Mind program, visit peggyadams. org/help/donate/planned-giving/petsfuture/#program-pom. In Palm Beach County, these law firms have offered pet trusts for many years: • Kitroser Lewis & Mighdoll in West Palm Beach. Learn more about its pet trust offerings at
kitroserlaw.com/pet-trust/. • Felinton Law in Delray Beach. Learn more about what it offers at felintonlaw.com/pet-trusts/. On the national front, 2nd Chance 4 Pets is an all-volunteer, nonprofit animal welfare organization committed to reducing pet euthanasia due to the death or disability of the pets’ human companions. It offers a free online will-writing tool on its website and guidance on setting up a plan for the care of your pets should they outlive you. Learn more by visiting 2ndchance4pets.org.
AT16 Tots & Teens/Calendar
The COASTAL STAR
September 2026
Tots & Teens
Courage Club inspires girls and moms to dream big
By Faran Fagen
Mothers and daughters held hands to form circles in the blue ocean in the shadow of the Delray Beach Seagate Beach Club on Aug. 8. Sharing dreams, aspirations and compassion. Together. The union of matriarchs and girls ages 7-14 marked the first in-person meeting of the Courage Club, a group started by Kelly Roach of Delray Beach and her 12-year-old daughter, Madison. Their vision and mission are to empower girls around the globe to rise up and achieve their highest potential. “The event was amazing,” Madison said. “We talked about what courage and confidence means to us and how to apply it in real life.” The Courage Club is an interactive, virtual program designed to help girls build confidence, develop leadership skills, and cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset. Daughters learn from inspiring mentors, engage in hands-on activities, and connect with like-minded girls around the world. Each month, the Courage Club explores a new topic, from public speaking to financial literacy, and teaches the skills needed to lead boldly, dream big, and make a difference. “It’s about encouraging female leaders to invest and pour time into their daughters,” Kelly said. “We support parents to prioritize the emotional well-being and growth of their children.” The Seagate sponsored and hosted the August beach event, which included a refreshments bar with coconut drinks, relay races, cornhole, volleyball, bracelet making, and a photo
The Courage Club, for girls 7 to 14, inspires them to chase their dreams, set high standards and learn skills to succeed. The inaugural in-person meeting took place at the Seagate Beach Club, where girls enjoyed the surf and sand. BELOW: Kelly Roach with husband, Billy, and daughter, Madison, 12. Kelly and Madison started the club. Photos by Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star and growth. Some of the other topics at Movement Complex in Boca Two of the chief goals from covered in the virtual meetings: Raton. moms were for their daughters Although the in-person Peer Pressure; Honoring You Seagate event was free, the to be exposed to leaders and for and Your Value; the Power annual cost for the program them to dream bigger. of Boundaries; Friendship; “We want to reach as many is $299. Sponsorships and Money, Business and Sales 101; girls as possible to join the club Building Resilience; Career scholarships offset some of the and learn about leadership and cost for families. Exploration; Unlocking Your The club website — inspire them to become the Inner Wisdom; Confidence in girlvibesofficial.com — is full of founders of their lives,” Kelly Communication; Exploring testimonials from satisfied girls. said. STEM; Leadership & One of the challenges is “What I liked most about Relationships; and Healthy preparing the girls for a world Courage Camp was hearing Body, Healthy Mind. Every month is a new in which certain jobs may from an author and an actress,” opportunity to grow, and give not exist when they become said 9-year-old Irie Jaramillo. each daughter the support and working adults. “Hearing their stories showed “How do we make sure in strategies she needs to become me that rejection is part of the a rapidly changing world that the leader she’s meant to be. process, and if my dreams are “Girls step into a new form young girls can develop skills important to me, to keep going shoot with Mimi Beauty to of leadership through this to succeed in the real world?” no matter what. promote healthy choices in community of moms and Kelly said. “A lot of industries “I also learned that I don’t cosmetics. Moms and daughters from other girls,” said Madison, won’t exist as they become have to wait until I’m an adult around Florida shared their women. We need girls who can who, in addition to being a to write a book or audition for goals — and how to achieve persevere, be resilient and adapt young entrepreneur, is very Disney. Dreams have no age them through determination involved in competitive dance as the future unfolds.” requirements.” P
Tots & Teens Calendar Note: Events are current as of 8/26. Please check with organizers for any changes.
SEPTEMBER 5
Saturday - 9/5 - Morning Makers Make Your Mark at Boca Raton Museum of Art, 501 Plaza Real. Creative family program designed for children ages 5-12. 10-11:30 am. $10/members; $5-$20/nonmembers. 561-392-2500; bocamuseum.org 9/5 - Supa Awesome Dog Man Fair at Boca Raton Library, 400 NW 2nd Ave. Ages 6-12 with parent/caretaker. 10 am-1 pm. Free. Registration: 561-393-7968; bocalibrary.org 9/5 - Teen Advisory Board at Boynton Beach Library, 100 E Ocean Ave. Grades 6-12. Held again 9/19. 10-11:30 am. Free.
561-742-6393; boyntonlibrary.org 9/5 - Build Your Own Robot: A Kid’s Workshop at Cornell Art Museum at Old School Square, 51 N Swinton Ave, Delray Beach. Ages 10+. 1-4 pm. $21.58. Registration: 561-654-2220; delrayoldschoolsquare.com/events
SEPTEMBER 6-12
Tuesday - 9/8 - Toddler Tales at Boca Raton Library, 400 NW 2nd Ave. Stories, music, movement. Ages walking to 23 mos. Every T 10-10:30 am. Free. Registration: 561-393-7968; bocalibrary.org 9/8 - Toddler Time at Boynton Beach Library, 100 E Ocean Ave. Ages 12-24 mos. Held again 9/22. 11-11:45 am. Free. Registration: 561-742-6390;
boyntonlibrary.org Wednesday - 9/9 - Reading & Rhythm for 2-3s at Boca Raton Library, 400 NW 2nd Ave. Literacy enrichment class. Child must be accompanied by an adult. Every W 10-10:30 am. Free. Registration: 561-3937968; bocalibrary.org 9/9 - Game Day at Boynton Beach Library, 100 E Ocean Ave. Ages 13-17. Every W 4:30-6:30 pm. Free. 561-742-6393; boyntonlibrary.org 9/9 - Crafternoon at the Library for Tweens & Teens at Boca Raton Library, 400 NW 2nd Ave. Ages 9-17. Every W 6-7 pm. Free. Registration: 561-393-7968; bocalibrary.org Thursday - 9/10 - Drop-In Family Storytime at Boca Raton Library, 400 NW 2nd Ave. Up to age 5. Every Th 10-10:30 am. Free. Registration: 561-393-7968;
bocalibrary.org 9/10 - My First Book Club at Boca Raton Library, 400 NW 2nd Ave. Ages 6-7. Child attends independently. Every Th 4:30-5 pm. Free. Registration: 561-393-7968; bocalibrary.org 9/10 - S.T.E.A.M. Social at Boynton Beach Library, 100 E Ocean Ave. Ages 5-11. 4:305:30 pm. Free. Registration: 561-742-6393; boyntonlibrary.org Friday - 9/11 - Baby Bookworm at Boca Raton Public Library, 400 NW 2nd Ave. Storytime for infants accompanied by an adult. Ages 0 months to non-walking. Every F 11-11:30 am. Free. Registration: 561-393-7852; bocalibrary.org Saturday - 9/12 - Ancient Egypt Family Storytime at Boca Raton Public Library, 400 NW 2nd Ave. Up to age 5. 10-10:30 am. Free. Registration: 561-393-7968;
bocalibrary.org 9/12 - Sketching in the Galleries at Boca Raton Museum of Art, 501 Plaza Real. Family fare. 11 am-4 pm. Free w/ paid admission. Registration: 561-392-2500; bocamuseum.org
SEPTEMBER 13-19
Sunday - 9/13 - Back to School Shellebration! at Gumbo Limbo Nature Center, 1801 N Ocean Blvd, Boca Raton. Create a personalized backpack charm keychain with seashells and beach treasures. Ages 7+; children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. 2-3:30 pm. $8/ member; $10/non-member. Registration: 561-544-8605; gumbolimbo.org Monday - 9/14 - Special Guest Storytime w/ Gumbo Limbo at Boca Raton Library, 400 NW 2nd
Continued on the next page
The COASTAL STAR
September 2026
First day of school
12:15 pm. Free. Registration: 561-742-6393; boyntonlibrary.org 9/16 - Audition for Broadway Beginners at The Delray Beach Playhouse, 950 NW 9th St. Ages 7-12 - Beginner level. 4:30-6 pm. Semester runs W through 11/18. $495. 561-272-1281; delraybeachplayhouse.com Thursday - 9/17 - Make & Take: Coco Inspired Guitars for Hispanic Heritage Month at Boynton Beach Library, 100 E Ocean Ave. Ages 5-7. 4:30-6:20 pm. Free. Registration: 561-742-6393; boyntonlibrary. org 9/17 - History Explorers: Alexandrian Empire at Boca Raton Library, 400 NW 2nd Ave. Ages 9-12. 6-7 pm. Free. Registration: 561-393-7968; bocalibrary.org Saturday - 9/19 - Drop-In Family Storytime at Boca Raton Public Library, 400 NW 2nd Ave. Up to age 5. Held again 9/26. 10-10:30 am. Free. Registration: 561393-7968; bocalibrary.org 9/19 - Bones to Books at Boynton Beach Library, 100 E Ocean Ave. Children read to friends from Bonafide Therapy Dogs. All ages. 1-2 pm. Free. Registration: 561-7426390; boyntonlibrary.org 9/19 - Shards of Skelly: Fairy Tale Makeover Bubbles Show presented by Kristar Bubbles Show at Lake Worth Playhouse, 713 Lake Ave. 2 pm & 6 pm. Tickets start at $45. 561-586-6410; lakeworthplayhouse.org
Gulf Stream School — Aug. 31
Gulf Stream School first grade students Camilla Woodworth of Boynton Beach and Anastasia Spotts of Ocean Ridge look at a summer vacation photo before classes start on the first day of the new school year. This is Gulf Stream School's 88th year. Jerry Lower/ The Coastal Star
Tots & Teens Calendar AT17
Saturday - 9/26 - Creation Station: Sticker Stories at Boca Raton Museum of Art, 501 Plaza Real. Limited seating. 11 am-4 pm. Free w/ paid admission. 561-3922500; bocamuseum.org
SEPT. 27-OCT. 3
Sunday - 9/27 - Wild Wonders at Gumbo Limbo Nature Center, 1801 N Ocean Blvd, Boca Raton. Hike, crafts, stories. Ages 3-6 w/an adult. 9:30-10:15 am. $8/resident & member; $10/non-member. Reservations: 561-544-8605; gumbolimbo.org 9/27 - Pokemon Club at Boca Raton
44
th
SEPTEMBER 20-26
Ave. Up to age 5. 10-10:30 am. Free. Registration: 561-393-7968; bocalibrary.org 9/14 - Audition for Broadway Show Program: The Lightning Thief at The Delray Beach Playhouse, 950 NW 9th St. Ages 7-16 - Advanced level. 4:30-7:30 pm. Semester runs M through 12/18. $985. 561272-1281; delraybeachplayhouse.com 9/14-16 - Homework Help - Delray Beach Library, 100 W Atlantic Ave. For grades K-5. Runs through 12/18. M-W 3:30-4:15 & 4:15-
5 pm. Free. Registration: 561-266-0197; delraylibrary.org Tuesday - 9/15 - Audition for Musical Theater Kids at The Delray Beach Playhouse, 950 NW 9th St. Ages 7-13 Intermediate level. 4:30-6 pm. Semester runs T through 11/17. $495. 561-272-1281; delraybeachplayhouse.com Wednesday - 9/16 - Sensory Circle Time: Back to School at Boynton Beach Library, 100 E Ocean Ave. Ages 2-5. 11 am-
Library, 400 NW 2nd Ave. Ages 7-12. 1-2:30 pm. Free. Registration: 561-393-7968; bocalibrary.org Monday - 9/28 - STEM in Action: Card Towers at Boca Raton Library, 400 NW 2nd Ave. Ages 6-8. 4:30-5 pm. Free. Registration: 561-393-7968; bocalibrary.org Saturday - 10/3 - Morning Makers Building Imagination at Boca Raton Museum of Art, 501 Plaza Real. Creative family program designed for children ages 5-12. 10-11:30 am. $10/members; $5-$20/non-members. 561-392-2500; bocamuseum.org
Monday - 9/21 - Baby Story Time at Boynton Beach Library, 100 E Ocean Ave. Stories, rhymes & songs. Ages 6-12 months. 11-11:45 am. Free. Registration: 561-7426390; boyntonlibrary.org Thursday - 9/24 - Picture Book Club: How to Catch a Class Pet by Alice Walstead at Boynton Beach Library, 100 E Ocean Ave. Ages 5-11. 4:30-5:30 pm. Free. Registration: 561-742-6393; boyntonlibrary. org
202 6
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AT18 Community Calendar
The COASTAL STAR
Community Calendar Note: Events are current as of 8/26. Please check with organizers for any changes.
SEPTEMBER 5
Saturday - 9/5 - Free Fun Saturday: Pioneer Edition at The Schmidt Boca Raton History Museum, 71 N Federal Hwy. Free family craft activities 10 am-4 pm. Free. 561-395-6766; bocahistory.org 9/5 - Intro to Watercolor: Essential Techniques & Your First Paintings at Arts Warehouse, 313 NE 3rd St, Delray Beach. Ages 18+. 10:30 am-12:30 pm. $40. 561-330-9614; artswarehouse.org 9/5 - $5 Studio Days at Creative Arts School, 51 N. Swinton Ave, Delray Beach. Ages 5+. 11 am-12:30 pm or 1-2:30 pm. $5. 561-243-7209; delraybeachfl.gov/cas
SEPTEMBER 6-12
Sunday 9/6 - Boca Farmers Market every Sunday at Boca Raton Innovation Campus (BRiC), 4950 Communication Ave, Boca Raton. Featuring 9:30 am yoga, fresh, local food and handmade goods. 9 am-1 pm. Free. bocafarmersmarket.com Monday - 9/7 - Labor Day 9/7 - Advanced Squares at Boynton Beach Arts & Cultural Center, 125 E Ocean Ave. All ages. Every M 2-4 pm. $6. 561-7426221; boynton-beach.org 9/7 - Improvisation for Actors at Lake Worth Playhouse, Stonzek Theater, 713 Lake Ave. Age 18+. Every M through 11/16 (no class 9/21) 5:30-7 pm. $325. 561-5866410; lakeworthplayhouse.org 9/7 - Pickleball at Hester Center, 1901 N Seacrest Blvd, Boynton Beach. Combines badminton & tennis. Adults. M/F 6-8 pm. $5-$7; $50-$65/24-visit pass. 561-7426550; boynton-beach.org Tuesday - 9/8 - Career & Employment Help w/CareerSource PBC at Boynton Beach Library, 100 E Ocean Ave. Representative fluent in English, Creole, French. Adults. Every T through 12/22 9 am-4 pm. Free. 561-742-6390; boyntonlibrary.org 9/8 – Socrates Café at Boca Raton Library, 400 NW 2nd Ave. Philosophical discussions. Every T 1:30-3 pm. Free. 561393-7852; bocalibrary.org 9/8 - Guided Discussion: The
Ethics of … Today’s Gray Areas w/ Rabbi Michael Gold at FAU Friedberg Auditorium, 777 Glades Rd, Boca Raton. Every T through 9/29. 3-4:30 pm. $60/ annual membership; $100.50/member; $134/non-member; $35/guest pass. 561297-3185; olli.fau.edu 9/8 - Beginning Tap for Adults at Lake Worth Playhouse, 713 Lake Ave. Age 18+. Every T through 9/29 5:30-7 pm. $60/4-weeks; $20/drop-in. 561-586-6410; lakeworthplayhouse.org 9/8 - Auditions: Dracula: The Radio Play at Lake Worth Playhouse, 713 Lake Ave. 7-10 pm. 561-586-6410; lakeworthplayhouse.org 9/8 - Delray Beach Orchid Society Meeting at Veterans Park, 802 NE 1st St, Delray Beach. 2nd T 7 pm. Free. 561-5732422; delraybeachorchidsociety.org 9/8 - All Arts Open Mic Night at Arts Garage, 94 NE 2nd Ave, Delray Beach. Every 2nd T 8-10:30 pm. $10-$25. 561-450-6357; artsgarage.org Wednesday - 9/9 - Seminar: Common Sixth Sense: Unleash Your Most Authentic Connected Life w/Rachel Schmidt at FAU Friedberg Auditorium, 777 Glades Rd, Boca Raton. 10-11:30 am. $60/ annual membership; $40/member; $50/ non-member. 561-297-3185; olli.fau.edu 9/9 - Exhibition Opening: Life’s A Beach at the Schmidt Boca Raton History Museum, 71 N Federal Hwy. Runs through 2/27/27. W-Sat: 10 am-4 pm. $12/adults; $8/students. 561-395-6766; bocahistory. org 9/9 - Art in Focus: Hans Hofmann’s Light Yellow Landscape and Elaine de Kooning’s Orange Grotto Cave #17 at Boca Raton Museum of Art, 501 Plaza Real. 1-1:30 pm. Free w/paid museum admission. 561-392-2500; bocamuseum.org 9/9 - Dance as a Major Theme in Modern Art w/Sylvia Laudien-Meo at FAU Friedberg Auditorium, 777 Glades Rd, Boca Raton. Every W through 9/30. 3-4:30 pm. $60/annual membership; $64/ member; $80/non-member; $30/guest pass. 561-297-3185; olli.fau.edu 9/9 - Intro to Colored Pencil Drawing & Painting at Arts Warehouse, 313 NE 3rd St,
September 2026
Municipal Meetings 9/8, 9/22 – Boca Raton Auditorium, 6500 Congress Ave. 10 am. myboca.us 9/8 – South Palm Beach Town Hall, 3577 S Ocean Blvd. 2 pm. southpalmbeach.com 9/8, 9/22 – Delray Beach City Hall, 100 NW 1st Ave. 5 pm. delraybeachfl.gov 9/8, 9/22 – Manalapan Town Hall, 600 S Ocean Blvd. 5:01 pm. manalapan.org 9/8 – Lantana Town Hall, 500 Greynolds Cir. 6 pm. lantana.org 9/11 – Gulf Stream Town Hall, 100 Sea Rd. 4 pm. gulf-stream.org 9/14 – Ocean Ridge Town Hall, 6450 N Ocean Blvd. 6 pm. oceanridgeflorida.com 9/15 – Boynton Beach City Hall, 100 E Ocean Ave. 6 pm. boynton-beach.org 9/24 – Briny Breezes Town Hall, 4802 N Ocean Blvd. 4 pm. Delray Beach. Ages 18+. 5-8 pm. $55. 561330-9614; artswarehouse.org Thursday - 9/10 - Quilters meet at Boynton Beach Library, 100 E Ocean Ave. Share quilting information, perpetuate quilting as a cultural & artistic form. Limit 10 quilters at a time. Every Th 9 am-noon. $1/lifetime membership. 561-742-6886; boyntonlibrary.org 9/10 - Line Dancing at Boynton Beach Arts & Cultural Center, 125 E Ocean Ave. All ages. Every Th 11 am-noon. $7. 561-7426221; boynton-beach.org 9/10 - Sleep and the Aging Brain w/ Lana Jones at FAU Friedberg Auditorium, 777 Glades Rd, Boca Raton. 12:30-2 pm. $60/annual membership; $30.40/member; $38/non-member. 561-297-3185; olli.fau. edu 9/10 - Seminar: A Comprehensive Estate Planning Program w/ Michael Silver at FAU Friedberg Auditorium, 777 Glades Rd, Boca Raton. 3-4:30 pm. $60/ annual membership; $40/member; $50/ non-member. 561-297-3185; olli.fau.edu 9/10 - Pompey Park Recreation Center Groundbreaking Ceremony at 1101 NW 2nd St, Delray Beach. 5 pm. Free. 561-2437356; delraybeachfl.gov Friday - 9/11 - Rosh Hashanah begins at sundown 9/11 - Beginner Squares at Boynton Beach Arts & Cultural Center, 125 E Ocean Ave. All ages. Every F 6-7 pm. $6. 561-7426221; boynton-beach.org 9/11 - Castoffs Square Dance at Boynton Beach Arts & Cultural Center, 125 E Ocean Ave. Basic modern western square dancing. All ages. Every F 7-9 pm. $6. 561-742-6221; boynton-beach.org
9/11 - The Rumbletones - Roots of Rock ‘n Roll at Arts Garage, 94 NE 2nd Ave, Delray Beach. 8 pm. $48-$53. 561-4506357; artsgarage.org Saturday - 9/12 - Open Figure Studio w/Model at Arts Warehouse, 313 NE 3rd St, Delray Beach. Ages 18+. Held again 6-8 pm 9/24. 10:30 am-12:30 pm. $15. 561-3309614; artswarehouse.org 9/12 - Wild Garden: Expressive Floral Art in Watercolor and Ink at Arts Warehouse, 313 NE 3rd St, Delray Beach. Ages 18+. 10:30 am-12:30 pm. $40. 561330-9614; artswarehouse.org 9/12 - Colored Pencil Drawing & Painting 4-Week Workshop at Arts Warehouse, 313 NE 3rd St, Delray Beach. Ages 18+. Every Sat through 10/3 1-4 pm. $220. 561-330-9614; artswarehouse.org 9/12 - Burlesque On The Ave at Lake Worth Playhouse, 713 Lake Ave. Step back in time and take a seat while dancers take you on a dazzling journey of seductive storytelling and enchantment. Ages 18+ only. 7:30 pm. $35-$65. 561-586-6410; lakeworthplayhouse.org
SEPTEMBER 13-19
Sunday - 9/13 - Exhibit Opening Reception at Artist’s Eye Gallery Boutique, 604 Lucerne Ave, Lake Worth. Runs through 11/7. 2-4 pm. Free. 561-586-8666; lwartleague.org Monday - 9/14 - Monday Movies Documentary: The Sparks Brothers directed by Edgar Wright at Boca Raton Library, 400 NW 2nd Ave. Adults. 5:30-8 pm. Registration: 561-393-7906; bocalibrary.org 9/14-15 - Auditions: The Nether at Lake Worth Playhouse, 713 Lake Ave. Callbacks
(by invitation) 9/16. 7-10 pm. 561-586 6410; lakeworthplayhouse.org Tuesday - 9/15 - Book Talks - NonFiction/Biographies: The Gunfighters: How Texas Made the West Wild by Bryan Burrough at Boca Raton Library, 400 NW 2nd Ave. Adults. 2-3 pm. Registration: 561-393-7906; bocalibrary.org 9/15 - Movie Night at Highland Beach Library, 3618 Ocean Blvd. Held again 8/25. 5:30 pm. Free. 561-278-5455; highlandbeach.us 9/15 - Summer at Sea Lecture - Fish Tales Revisited - A Local History of Fishing at the Delray Beach Historical Society Historic Bungalow, 3 NE 1st St. 6 pm. $12/society members; $15/nonmembers. Registration: 561-274-9578; delraybeachhistory.org 9/15 - Spoken Word Open Mic: Poetry, Storytelling & Lyrics at Arts Garage, 94 NE 2nd Ave, Delray Beach. Every 3rd T 8-10:30 pm. $20-$25. 561-450-6357; artsgarage.org 9/15 - FAU Astronomical Observatory public viewing at FAU Science & Engineering Building 4th floor, 777 Glades Rd, Boca Raton. 1st F & 3rd T 8 pm. Free. Schedule subject to change; check website: 561-297-7827; physics.fau.edu/ observatory/events/ Wednesday - 9/16 - Objection! Current, Contentious, and Confusing Legal Battles w/Irvin Labovitz at FAU Friedberg Auditorium, 777 Glades Rd, Boca Raton. Every W through 11/4. 10-11:30 am. $60/annual membership; $125.25/ member; $167/non-member; $30/guest pass. 561-297-3185; olli.fau.edu 9/16 - Book Buzz Adult Book Club at Boynton Beach Library, 100 E Ocean Ave. Adults. 10:30 am-noon. Free. Registration: 561-742-6390; boyntonlibrary.org Thursday - 9/17 - Self-Portrait Painting with Acrylic Paint at Arts Warehouse, 313 NE 3rd St, Delray Beach. Ages 18+. Held again 9/18. 10:30 am1:30 pm. $90/workshop. 561-330-9614; artswarehouse.org 9/17 - Mixed Media Magic: Underwater Art & Expressive Collages at Arts Warehouse, 313 NE 3rd St, Delray Beach. Ages 18+. 10:30 am-1:30 pm. $75. 561-3309614; artswarehouse.org 9/17 - Stay on Your Feet: The Science of Fall Prevention w/ Vincenzo Bombara at FAU Friedberg Auditorium, 777 Glades Rd, Boca Raton. 12:30-2 pm. $60/annual membership; $30.40/member; $38/nonmember. 561-297-3185; olli.fau.edu 9/17 - Paint it Black: The World of Film Noir w/Kurt Stone at FAU Friedberg Auditorium, 777 Glades Rd, Boca Raton. Every Th through 11/5. 3-5 pm. $60/annual membership; $125.25/member; $167/nonmember; $30/guest pass. 561-297-3185; olli.fau.edu 9/17 - Advanced Colored Pencil Drawing & Painting Full-Day Workshop at Arts Warehouse, 313 NE 3rd St, Delray Beach. Ages 18+. 3-8 pm. $95. 561-330-9614; artswarehouse.org 9/17 - Concert: Dave Deluca - Legends of Country Music at Highland Beach Library, 3618 Ocean Blvd. 5:30 pm. Free. 561-278-5455; highlandbeach.us 9/17 - Inside the Process: TYPOE GRAN on Making and Meaning at Boca Raton Museum of Art, 501 Plaza Real. 6-7 pm. Free/members; $9-$16/non-members. 561-392-2500; bocamuseum.org 9/17 - Seventies by the Sea at The Schmidt Boca Raton History Museum, 71 N Federal Hwy, Boca Raton. Part of the Summer Sips & Sounds series. 6-8 pm. $45$55. 561-395-6766; bocahistory.org Friday - 9/18 - Constitution Day 2026:
The COASTAL STAR
September 2026 Created Equal: America’s 250-Year Constitutional Journey w/Akhil Reed Amar at FAU Friedberg Auditorium, 777 Glades Rd, Boca Raton. 2-3:30 pm. $20. 561-297-3185; olli.fau.edu 9/18 - Lynn Conservatory of Music: Brass at Boca Raton Library, 400 NW 2nd Ave. Presented by The Friends of The Boca Raton Public Library. All ages. 2:30-4 pm. 561-393-7906; bocalibrary.org 9/18 - Toasts, Tastes & Trolleys at The Addison, 2 E Camino Real, Boca Raton. Trolleys embark from The Addison and travel to local destinations, where participants will enjoy light bites, historical trivia, and special toasts. The evening will conclude at The Addison, with nightcaps at a cash bar. Attire: tropical chic. 5:30 pm. $150/person. 561-395-6766; bocahistory. org/toasts-tastes-trolleys 9/18- Dive-In Movie Night: The Super Mario Galaxy at Meadows Park Pool, 1300 NW 8th St, Boca Raton. Floats are not allowed. 7:30-10 pm. Free. 561-393-7851; myboca.us 9/18 - From Cuba, With Love: The Story of a Peter Pan Kid - Written and Performed by Dr. Manuel Prestamo at Arts Garage, 94 NE 2nd Ave, Delray Beach. 8 pm. $50-$55. 561-450-6357; artsgarage. org Saturday - 9/19 - Family Workshop - Drawing Knowledge: Exploring Frederic Bruly Bouabre at Boca Raton Museum of Art, 501 Plaza Real. 10-11:30 am. Free/members & children under 18; $516/adults. 561-392-2500; bocamuseum.org 9/19 - Fruit In Flight: Painting Color That Moves w/Acrylic at Arts Warehouse, 313 NE 3rd St, Delray Beach. Ages 18+. 10:30 am-1:30 pm. $75. 561-330-9614; artswarehouse.org 9/19 - Annual Community Bakeoff - Show Me the Honey at Delray Beach Library, 100 W Atlantic Ave. This year’s featured ingredient is Florida local honey. For home bakers. Celebrity judges, prizes, family fun. 1 pm. $10/contestant. Entry form deadline 5 pm 9/7. Registration: 561266-0194; delraylibrary.org 9/19 - Buona Sera! An ItalianAmerican Songbook at The Wick Theatre & Costume Museum, 7901 N Federal Hwy, Boca Raton. 6 pm. $165. Reservations: 561995-2333; thewick.org
SEPTEMBER 20-26
Sunday - 9/20 - Yom Kippur begins at sundown 9/20 - Story Central Storytelling Slam at Boca Raton Library, 400 NW 2nd Ave. Adults. 3-4:30 pm. Free. 561-393-7906; bocalibrary.org 9/20 - Jumping Through Hoops on Fire Fundraiser presented by Support Not Stigma at Lake Worth Playhouse Stephanie Smith Main Stage, 713 Lake Ave. 5 pm. Tickets $105. 561-586-6410; lakeworthplayhouse.org Monday - 9/21-22 - Auditions: Ken Ludwig’s The Game’s Afoot at Lake Worth Playhouse, 713 Lake Ave. Callbacks (by invitation) 9/23. 7-10 pm. 561-5866410; lakeworthplayhouse.org Wednesday - 9/23 - Creative Breakthrough: Find Your Artistic Voice at Arts Warehouse, 313 NE 3rd St, Delray Beach. Ages 18+. 10:30 am-1:30 pm. $75. 561-330-9614; artswarehouse.org 9/23 - The Master’s Palette: Acrylic on Canvas Creations at Arts Warehouse, 313 NE 3rd St, Delray Beach. Ages 18+. 10:30 am-1:30 pm. $90. 561-330-9614; artswarehouse.org 9/23 - Art in Focus Tour - Jess, Beat Literary Connections at Boca Raton Museum of Art, 501 Plaza Real. 1-1:30 pm. Free w/paid museum admission. 561-3922500; bocamuseum.org Thursday - 9/24 - 2nd Annual High Tea and History: Regency-Era Festivities at Boca Raton Library, 400 NW 2nd Ave. Adults. 1-7:30 pm. Free. Registration: 561393-7906; bocalibrary.org 9/24 - Spice Stories: Regency Flavors & Global Tales at Boca Raton Library, 400 NW 2nd Ave. Adults. 4:30-5:30 pm. Registration: 561-393-7906; bocalibrary.org 9/24 - A Celebration of National Hispanic Heritage at Boca Raton Museum of Art, 501 Plaza Real. 5-8 pm. $10/members; $15-$20/non-members.
561-392-2500; bocamuseum.org 9/24 - The Lasting Legacy of Jane Austen: Wit, Wisdom, and Regency Society w/Elizabeth Paquette at Boca Raton Library, 400 NW 2nd Ave. Part of the Thursday Night Speaker Series. Adults. 6-7:30 pm. Free. Registration: 561-3937906; bocalibrary.org 9/24 - 3rd Annual Poker Tournament at Vintage Gym at Old School Square, 51 N Swinton Ave, Delray Beach. Benefitting Child Rescue Coalition. 6-11 pm. Tickets start at $150. 561-208-9000; spiritofgivingnetwork.com/event/3rdannual-poker-tournament 9/24 - Friends Virtual Book Club: Clear by Carys Davies presented by Boca Raton Library, 400 NW 2nd Ave. Adults. 7-8 pm. Free. 561-393-7968; bocalibrary.org 9/24-25 - Color Theory Basics 2-Day Workshop at Arts Warehouse, 313 NE 3rd St, Delray Beach. Ages 18+. 10:30 am-1:30 pm. $90. 561-330-9614; artswarehouse.org Friday - 9/25 - The Art of Film: PunchDrunk Love at Boca Raton Library, 400 NW 2nd Ave. Adults. 1-2:30 pm. Registration: 561-393-7906; bocalibrary.org Saturday - 9/26 - Tree Giveaway at Meadows Park, 1300 NW 8th St, Boca Raton. Must be a City of Boca Raton Resident. First come, first served, limit 1 tree per household. 9 am. 561-927-8733; communitygreening.org 9/26 - The Unexpected Landscape: Abstract Worlds w/Acrylic at Arts Warehouse, 313 NE 3rd St, Delray Beach. Ages 18+. 10:30 am-1:30 pm. $75. 561330-9614; artswarehouse.org 9/26 - Season 8 Golden Bell Battle of the Bands at Boca Raton Innovation Campus, 4920 Conference Way N, Boca Raton. Benefits Golden Bell Education Foundation. Ages 21+. 6:30-11 pm. $100/ VIP; $75/general admission. 561-395-4433; goldenbellbattleofthebands.com 9/26 - Unscripted: Storytellers Sessions Workshop at Lake Worth Playhouse, 713 Lake Ave. 7 pm. Tickets $25. 561-586-6410; lakeworthplayhouse.org 9/26 - Lovecats & Motorious: A Tribute to The Cure & Duran Duran at Arts Garage, 94 NE 2nd Ave, Delray Beach. 8 pm. $53-$58. 561-450-6357; artsgarage.org 9/26-27 - 31st Annual Downtown Delray Beach Craft Festival at 401 E Atlantic Ave. 100+ craft booths. 10 am-4 pm. Free. 561-746-6615; artfestival.com
SEPT. 27-OCT. 3
Sunday - 9/27 - Faculty Recital: Darko Varga, piano at FAU University Theatre, 777 Glades Rd, Boca Raton. 3 pm. $10-$20. 561-297-6124; fauevents.com 9/27 - Sunflower Soul - The Mixtape at Arts Garage, 94 NE 2nd Ave, Delray Beach. 6-9 pm. $63. 561-450-6357; artsgarage.org Monday - 9/28 - George Snow Scholarship Fund Annual Golf Classic at Royal Palm Yacht & Country Club, 2425
W Maya Palm Dr, Boca Raton. Info: 561347-6799 x 105; scholarship.org/events 9/28 - Monday Movies - Feature Film: I Saw The TV Glow directed by Jane Schoenbrun at Boca Raton Library, 400 NW 2nd Ave. Adults. 5:30-8 pm. Registration: 561-393-7906; bocalibrary.org 9/28 - Cinema Italia w/Shelly Isaacs at FAU Friedberg Auditorium, 777 Glades Rd, Boca Raton. Every M through 10/19. 7-9 pm. $60/annual membership; $64/ member; $80/non-member; $30/guest pass. 561-297-3185; olli.fau.edu Tuesday - 9/29 - Books & Bagels - Fall Book Preview at Boca Raton Library, 400 NW 2nd Ave. Adults. 9:30-11 am. Registration: 561-393-7906; bocalibrary.org 9/29 - Guided Discussion: Everyday iPhone Skills for Lifelong Learners w/Anne Goldberg at FAU Friedberg Auditorium, 777 Glades Rd, Boca Raton. Every T through 10/20. 7-9 pm. $60/annual membership; $100.50/member; $134/nonmember; $35/guest pass. 561-297-3185; olli.fau.edu Wednesday - 9/30 - Make Waves: Abstract the Sea in Acrylic Paint at Arts Warehouse, 313 NE 3rd St, Delray Beach. Ages 18+. 10:30 am-1:30 pm. $75. 561330-9614; artswarehouse.org 9/30 - Creative Ladies: The Art of Textural Painting with Mixed Media at Arts Warehouse, 313 NE 3rd St, Delray Beach. Ages 18+. 11 am-3 pm. $125. 561330-9614; artswarehouse.org 9/30 - Ranking the Presidents: A Deep Dive on the Expert Polls w/Robert Watson at FAU Friedberg Auditorium, 777 Glades Rd, Boca Raton. 12:30-2 pm. $35.20/ member; $44/non-member. 561-297-3185; olli.fau.edu 9/30 - Town Hall Talk: Time Travel w/Mary Katherine Goddard, Revolutionary Patriot at The Schmidt Boca Raton History Museum, 71 N Federal Hwy, Boca Raton. 6 pm check-in/ refreshments; 6:30 pm lecture. Free/BRHS member; $10/guest. RSVP: 561-395-6766; bocahistory.org Thursday - 10/1 - The Great Tenors … Beyond Pavarotti and Domingo w/Paul Offenkrantz at FAU Friedberg Auditorium, 777 Glades Rd, Boca Raton. Every Th through 10/22. 12:30-2 pm. $60/ annual membership; $64/member; $80/ non-member; $30/guest pass. 561-2973185; olli.fau.edu 10/1 - Guided Discussion: Stories Around the Table Book Club w/ Christine Kassover at FAU Friedberg Auditorium, 777 Glades Rd, Boca Raton. Every Th through 10/22. 3-4:30 pm. $60/ annual membership; $100.50/member; $134/non-member; $35/guest pass. 561297-3185; olli.fau.edu 10/1 - Michelangelo and Judaism w/ Dr. Emily Fenichel at Boca Raton Library, 400 NW 2nd Ave. Part of the Thursday Night Speaker Series. Adults. 6-7:30
Community Calendar AT19 pm. Free. Registration: 561-393-7906; bocalibrary.org 10/1 - 2nd Annual Witches Night Out at Good Night John Boy, 33 SE 3rd Ave, Delray Beach. 6-8 pm. $75-$95. 561-276-0520; accffl.org 10/1 - Night Market at Sanborn Square Park, 72 N Federal Hwy, Boca Raton. Food options, beer & wine, local artisans and live music. 6-9 pm. Free. myboca.us/2324/ Night-Market 10/1 - Symphonic Stories: An American Celebration at FAU University Theatre, 777 Glades Rd, Boca Raton. 7 pm. $5-$10. 561-297-6124; fauevents.com Friday - 10/2 - First Friday @ 5 at Centennial Park & Amphitheater, 120 E Ocean Ave. 5 pm. Free. 561-742-6024; boynton-beach.org 10/2 - First Friday Art Walk at Cornell Art Museum at Old School Square, 51 N Swinton Ave, Delray Beach. 6-9 pm. Registration: 561-654-2220; delrayoldschoolsquare.com/events 10/2 - First Friday Art Walk at Arts Warehouse, 313 NE 3rd St, Delray Beach. Adults. 6-9 pm. Free. 561-330-9614; artswarehouse.org 10/2 - The Blues Brothers Soul Band at Arts Garage, 94 NE 2nd Ave, Delray Beach. 8 pm. $55.50-$60.50. 561-450-6357; artsgarage.org 10/2-4 - Carrie: The Musical at FAU
Marleen Forkas Studio One Theatre, 777 Glades Rd, Boca Raton. Runs through 10/11. F/Sat: 7 pm; Sat/Sun: 2 pm. $17-$27. 561297-6124; fauevents.com 10/2-4- Hedda Gabler: A Life Arranged at Sol Theatre, 3333 N Federal Hwy, Boca Raton. Presented by the Shakespeare Troupe. Runs through 10/18. F/Sat: 7:30 pm; Sun: 3 pm. Tickets: $15-$39. 754-2287228; shakestroupe.org 10/2-4 - Falsettos at Lake Worth Playhouse, 713 Lake Ave. Runs through 10/18. F/Sat: 7:30 pm; Sat/Sun: 2 pm. $40/ show; $66-$116/dinner & show. 561-5866410; lakeworthplayhouse.org Saturday - 10/3 - Hustle to End Hunger 5K Run/Walk at John Prince Park, 2700 6th Ave S, Lake Worth Beach. Proceeds benefit CROS Ministries programs. 7:30 am. $49.40. Registration: runsignup.com/Race/ FL/LakeWorth/Hustle2EndHunger5K 10/3 - Passport to Pours at Mizner Park Amphitheater, 590 Plaza Real, Boca Raton. 4-10 pm. Tickets start at $69.11. passporttopours.com 10/3 - The Original Psychic Stand-Up w/Karen Rontowski at The Studio at Mizner Park, 201 Plaza Real, Boca Raton. For mature audiences only. 7:30 pm. Tickets start at $44.50. 561-203-3742; thestudioatmiznerpark.com
E MORTGAGES JUMBO REVERS single available for your d at family home value $1M++ or more
1-855-900-9595 myseniormanagement.com REVERSE MORTGAGE SPECIALIST
ADAM KULA MLO 28007114
AT20
$30+M S O L D YT D
The COASTAL STAR
#1 Team
in Ocean Ridge
$365M SOLD IN 2025
September 2026
Ranked the #2 Real Estate Team in the Surrounding Market By The Wall Street Journal
New Listing | 4 Bed 5 Bath | Liv sqft 4400+ 6102 N Ocean Boulevard, Ocean Ridge, FL 33435 Located just steps from a secluded beach on prestigious Old Ocean Boulevard in Ocean Ridge, this exceptional coastal estate offers refined seaside living $8.750M with ocean views, designer finishes, and direct beach access.
NEW LISTING
NEW LISTING
NEW LISTING
NEW LISTING
29 Hibiscus Way, Ocean Ridge, FL 33435 Rare Waterfront Opportunity in Ocean Ridge. Located in the exclusive enclave of Hibiscus Way, this permit-ready vacant lot features a brand-new seawall and cap, approx. 85± feet of deepwater frontage, and direct Intracoastal access.
11505 Old Ocean Blvd., Ocean Ridge, FL 33435 4 Bed 5 Bath | Liv sqft 3300+ This exceptional 3-story residence features 3 bedrooms, 4.5 bathrooms, soaring ceilings, expansive windows, and stunning ocean views throughout.
$3.175M
JUST SOLD
BUYER REPRESENTATION RECORD SALE $2,198.72 A SQFT 6107 N Ocean Blvd., Ocean Ridge, FL 33435 Stunning 3-story Coastal Modern masterpiece perfectly positioned on a premier lot with breathtaking ocean views and beach access!
$2.495M JUST SOLD
Last Asking: $10.995M
SELLER REPRESENTATION 19 Harbour Drive N, Ocean Ridge, FL 33435 Waterfront Luxury in Ocean Ridge — This turnkey, fully renovated deepwater estate offers 100± feet of waterfront on a wide canal with direct ocean access and no fixed bridges.
THE MATT & NICK TEAM DEVIN: 410:209:9055 | JOHN: 561.398.9313 DEVIN@SERHANT.COM Instagram: @themattandnickteam Devin McKinney Founding Partner & Broker Associate
Last Asking: $5.195M
The Matt and Nick Team represents over $50 million in annual sales completely off-market. We boast an extensive network of buyers and sellers who leverage our off-market platform. This program is confidential, exclusively offered to qualified buyers, and prioritize seller privacy but meets their real estate goals. If you’re interested in joining our off-market platform, please send a private email to mn@serhant.com.
New School Marketing, With an Old School Work Ethic SERHANT. and other various trademarks, logos, designs, and slogans are the registered and unregistered trademarks of Serhant Real Estate, Inc. or its affiliated companies. SERHANT. is a licensed real estate broker in CT, FL, GA, NC, NJ, NY, PA, and SC. All listing information is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed and is subject to errors, omissions, changes in price, prior sale, or withdrawal without notice. No representation is made as to the accuracy of any description. All measurements and square footages are approximate and all descriptive information should be independently verified. No financial or legal advice provided. SERHANT. fully supports the Fair Housing Act and Equal Opportunity Act.