The Boca Raton Tribune ED 504

The Boca Raton Tribune Yo u r C l o s e s t N e i g h b o r

East /West Boca Raton, Highland Beach, Delray Beach, Deerfield Beach, FL

Number 504 • Year XI

March 19 - March 25, 2021

COMMUNITY

COMMUNITY

COMMUNITY

COMMUNITY

SPORTS

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Boca’s Glades Road overpass to sport ‘diverging diamond’ interchange by 2023

Sailfish Drop Doubleheader Against #3 Spartans

FAU School of Architecture Receives $500,000 Gift for Student Fellowships

Boca Raton opens up a new fire station

Lynn Students gain grant knowledge through virtual coaching

Boca Raton Hires New Assistant City Manager The City of Boca Raton is pleased to announce the promotion of Christina Gibson to Assistant City Manager, effective March 22, 2021. Gibson, who currently serves as the Communications Manager, will help coordinate the activities of the City Manager’s Office and the City.

“Ms. Gibson’s skills, abilities and knowledge of the community are a welcomed addition to the City Manager’s office,” commented Deputy City Manager, George Brown.

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Shopping card sterilizer wins top honor at Investor Pitch Competition Taking a cue from need related to the pandemic, Jordan Herold, a 10th grader from American Heritage School in Delray Beach, created a business called “Stericart” to sterilize shopping carts.

His entrepreneurial proposal took top honors at the Investor Panel Competition held last week for the 12 Palm Beach County students enrolled in this year’s Young Entrepreneur Academy (YEA) sponsored by the Greater Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce.

A Year in Review: COVID19’s Impact on Palm Beach County One year ago, COVID-19 was declared a pandemic, and the nation soon descended into fear. Aisles of grocery stores were left empty, toilet paper, water, and other essential goods were sold in earnest.

Millions were laid-off their jobs or shifted to remote learning and social distancing became the new norm.

Socially, the nation might never feel the same, and our adjustment period is still continuing one year later. Economically, the nation and individual households were devastated.

Medically, the nation forced first responders and essential workers to become the backbone of our society.

This year proved to be challenging as the United States was forced to adapt from our normal social and busy lives to a complete halt on activity to preserve public health and safety.

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2 - Edition 504 The Boca Raton Tribune COMMUNITY NEWS East/West Boca Raton, FL

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The City of Boca Raton is pleased to announce the promotion of Christina Gibson to Assistant City Manager, effective March 22, 2021.

GENERAL INFORMATION (561) 393-7700

• Florida Atlantic University’s School of Architecture in the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters recently received a gift of $500,000 from Tabitha Ponte to create the Ponte Health Fellowship in Healthcare Building and Design Endowed Fund. The gift marks the largest to date for the School of Architecture.

• The City of Boca Raton is pleased to announce the promotion of Christina Gibson to Assistant City Manager, effective March 22, 2021. Gibson, who currently serves as the Communications Manager, will help coordinate the activities of the City Manager’s Office and the City.

• Boca Helping Hands (BHH) is expanding its drive-thru Pantry Bag distribution hours, to occur during a time slot previously occupied by its Thursday night, sit-down family dinner. It has been almost a year since BHH suspended its Thursday night dinners due to the pandemic.

• The Request for Information is being made by the Greater Boca Raton Beach & Park District. The District is seeking input from stakeholders who wish to be considered as a provider to the services described herein. Qualified respondents are encouraged and invited to respond to this RFI. • The Biden-Harris Administration has made changes to the Paycheck Protection Plan (PPP) to include adjustments to make funding more equitable for small businesses.

• The Boca West Children’s Foundation collected double the amount of diapers they did last year with over 100,000 total diapers.

These diapers go toward the Junior League of Boca Raton’s Diaper Bank.

• Lynn University’s Office of Admission, with presentations from Academic Affairs, hosted Generation Zoom, a virtual webinar that provided insights for teaching Generation Z (Gen Z) students and preparing them for the workforce. The six-hour webinar included two guest speakers and Lynn staff, faculty and students.

Beach State College’s longtime business partner, is giving $125,000 over five years for a new scholarship to help students with tuition and other educational expenses. The first round of Follett Higher Education Group scholarships will target students who work in the hospitality and service industry, many of whom have been displaced because of the pandemic and are in school retooling their skills. Scholarships are for $1,000 each, and the deadline to apply is June 15.

• The Boca Raton Historical Museum & Society partnered with Boca Raton Innovation Campus (BRiC) to present Boca Raton Tech Talks that centered on the evolution of technology and innovation in Boca Raton. The first forty-five minute segment of the three-part online series was hosted by BRiC outside of what was once an IBM Research and Development building and was aired on BRiC’s website on February 23.

• County Commissioner Robert S Weinroth has announced the Health Care District of Palm Beach County has updated its criteria for scheduling COVID-19 vaccination appointments in accordance with Executive Order 21-47, issued by Gov. Ron DeSantis.

• A research partnership formed just last year by Memorial Healthcare System and Florida Atlantic University is already being recognized for quality care, results, and advances in research, and that’s great news for patients fighting cancer in South Florida.

The alliance between Memorial’s Cancer Institute and FAU (MCIFAU) has been recognized by the state’s Department of Health as a “Florida Cancer Center of Excellence.”

• Florida Atlantic University has joined leaders from the Food Conservation Alliance, EPA Region IV, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, and Florida Department of Environmental Protection to team up with Recycle Florida Today and the Sustainable Events Network for Florida & the Caribbean to announce the first ever “Florida Food Waste Prevention Week” from Monday, April 5 through Friday, April 9.

• Follett Higher Education Group, Palm March 19 - March 25, 2021

Boca Raton City Hall Boca Raton, FL 33432 www.ci.boca-raton.fl.us

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CITY DIRECTORY 201 West Palmetto Park Rd.

News Room Christina Hristofordis Dina Bodner Carla Lopez Megan Mandatta Destiny Harris Nadia Gordon Trey Avant

BOCA RATON

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EMERGENCY 9-1-1 POLICE DEPARTMENT (561) 368-6201 FIRE DEPARTMENT (561) 982-4000 CITY MANAGER’S OFFICE (561) 393-7703 CITY CLERK’S OFFICE (561) 393-7740 UTILITY SERVICES (561) 338-7300 RECYCLING (561) 416-3367 PBC ANIMAL CONTROL (561) 276-1344 PARKS & RECREATION (561) 393-7810 MUNICIPAL GOLF COURSE (561) 483-5235 BOCA RATON PUBLIC LIBRARY (561) 393-7852 FLORIDA ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY (561) 397-3000 LYNN UNIVERSITY (561) 237-7000

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Edition 504 - 3

The Boca Raton Tribune

COMMUNITY FAU School of Architecture Receives $500,000 Gift for Student Fellowships

Florida Atlantic University’s School of But it is also a place that connects healthArchitecture in the Dorothy F. Schmidt care with supports for the body and mind.

College of Arts and Letters recently re- The complex in Orlando includes resiceived a gift of $500,000 from Tabitha dences, an urban farm and retail outlets, Ponte to create the Ponte Health Fellow- as well as a medical center and pharmacy. ship in Healthcare Building and Design It is home to groundbreaking innovative Endowed Fund. The gift marks the larg- technology which enriches life and legacy by setting a high est to date for the standard for agingSchool of Architecin-place. Residencture. Starting in the FAU students will es will have everysummer of 2022, thing they need the fellowship will be included in maintain an active create an opportudevelopment of the and healthy lifestyle nity for an FAU stuas they age. Ponte dent to receive firstPonte Health “vertical Health has similar hand experience as medical city” in complexes planned an intern with Ponfor Tampa and Mite Health under the Orlando. ami. direction of Ponte, Ponte was inits CEO and foundspired to develop er and a 2008 gradthe vertical medical city in Orlando by uate of the School.

“Endowed fellowships are an incredi- personal healthcare experiences that left ble method of supporting our exceptional her disillusioned with the general design, students,” said Jeffrey E. Huber, interim environment and functionality of the very director of the FAU School of Architec- places that are created to help people reture. “This gift will enhance student fi- cuperate and heal.

“Buildings should be dynamic, and nancial assistance and galvanize student interests in healthcare architecture at our through that, they become an integral part school for generations to come. We are of the healthcare team for patients.” said deeply grateful to Tabitha Ponte and Pon- Ponte.

From natural lighting and exposure to te Health for their generosity.”

FAU students will be included in de- the outside environment, to the design of velopment of the Ponte Health “vertical the rooms and floors — and even the site medical city” in Orlando. The building is, location — Ponte has reinvented healthas its name describes, a high-rise complex. care architecture, building and design.

A Year in Review: COVID-19’s Impact on Palm Beach County By: Megan Mandatta One year ago, COVID-19 was declared a pandemic, and the nation soon descended into fear. Aisles of grocery stores were left empty, toilet paper, water, and other essential goods were sold in earnest. Millions were laid-off their jobs or shifted to remote learning and social distancing became the new norm.

Socially, the nation might never feel the same, and our adjustment period is still continuing one year later.

Economically, the nation and individual households were devastated.

Medically, the nation forced first responders and essential workers to become the backbone of our society.

This year proved to be challenging as the United States was forced to adapt from our normal social and busy lives to a complete halt on activity to preserve public health and safety. However, we can see through documented statistics during this pandemic, the country reopened, and it exacerbated cases.

There are few statistics from the beginning of the pandemic, but during the summer of 2020, information has become more readily available through each state’s Department of Health and Dr. Anthony Fauci’s public statements.

On June 12, 2020, there were 8,209 total COVID-19 cases in Palm Beach County.

March 11, 2020, shows 124,230 total cases.

On June 12, the Palm Beach County government began to reopen the county claiming the curve had been flattened and it was time to reopen the economy.

“With the flattening of the curve accomplished, we are now watching certain metrics to ensure that we are not seeing a new surge,” County Commissioner and Palm Beach County Vice Mayor Robert Weinroth said in June 2020.

As of June 19, 2020, there were 464 deaths in Palm Beach County, on March 11, 2021, there are 2,528 deaths in Palm Beach County.

Face masks were made mandatory in Palm Beach County on June 23 in an attempt to combat the spread of COVID-19, and this policy was met with aggressive complaints by citizens.

“You’re not listening to ‘We The People’, you made your decision,” one citizen, Butch Diaz argued on June 23, 2020.

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“You do not care about ‘We The People.’

It’s pathetic. It breaks my heart because I would die for the flag, I would die for the country and I would die for the Constitution. And you guys are supposed to uphold the Constitution. But you know what? You didn’t. You let ‘We The People’ down.”

Palm Beach County leaders continued with their plan to mandate facial coverings and chose to prioritize the overall safety and health of all citizens, citing Dr. Alina Alonso, Palm Beach County’s Department of Health Director’s advice. Dr. Alonso advocated for the use of masks to protect people by wearing a mask.

C OV I D - 1 9 was a polarizing political issue that was one of the main topics for every election cycle since.

COVID-19 was one of the main issues in the presidential election and trickled into local politics too, being noted throughout Boca City Council’s recent election cycle.

From June 12, 2020, to June 19, 2020, there was a massive growth of COVID-19 cases with an increase from 8,209 positive cases to 10,116 positive cases.

Positive COVID-19 cases exploded throughout the summer as testing became more widely available. In this year in review, we can see advancements made, but also faults exposed by this virus.

There is an estimated end in sight by Dr. Anthony Fauci, but pandemic fatigue has plagued our nation. Many have lost hope in a return to normalcy despite three variations of the vaccine being distributed now.

After a tumultuous year of adapting to a new socially distanced society, hope can be found in one of the vaccines for COVID-19. Currently, 5,791,074 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered with 3,784,870 total people completely vaccinated.

Dr. Anthony Fauci has projected for late spring to become “open season” in terms of vaccinations, with doses being readily available for all people.

There are nearly two million positive COVID-19 cases in Florida as of March 11. There were 89,748 positive COVID-19 cases in Florida on June 12.

Despite the massive growth of COVID-19 cases, normalcy is projected to return in late December by The White House.

March 19 - March 25, 2021

4 - Edition 504

Boca Raton opens up a new fire Children’s Home Society of Florida Recognizes station Philanthropists Transforming the Lives of Local Children On March 9, the city of Boca Raton announced that a new fire station, Fire Station 6, is set to open on Clint Moore Road, according to a press release. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on March 8 and fire administration and personnel, City Council members, and other dignitaries were in attendance.

Fire Station 6 will serve the northwestern area of the city and is now able to house up to 10 crews. Other new upgrades include four new bays with the ability to house new trucks, and 8 unisex bathrooms to facilitate crew members with decontamination. The new building will be able to withstand winds of

155 mph and Fire Rescue Services also intend to apply for a LEED certification for the building.

Before its new reform, Fire Station 6 was demolished in early 2020. It took 15 months to rebuild so that it stands the way it does now. Many people, like Mayor Scott Singer and Fire Chief Tom Wood, are very pleased with the outcome of Fire Station 6.

“This state-of-the-art rebuild is part of our commitment to public safety,” said Mayor Scott Singer. “We are proud to have the best first responders and police officers who maintain our superior quality of life and this new station continues that commitment to service.”

Patrons and friends of Children’s Home Society of Florida (CHS) safely gathered Thursday for an exclusive luncheon to honor the organization’s most distinguished group of donors, the Legacy Circle.

Held at The Brazilian Court and chaired by Wendy Roberts, the celebration formally recognized the individuals and foundations with the most remarkable dedication to CHS’ mission of building bridges to success for children.

Honorees included Linda Dweck, Mary and Mark Freitas, Patty Myura, and Tracy Ricker Siani.

Children’s Home Society of Florida introduced the Legacy Circle in 2018 to recognize the long-time patrons who partner with the organization to transform the lives and futures of Florida’s children. Legacy Circle members have invested at least $100,000 to benefit the organization throughout their lifetime.

Here in Palm Beach, and throughout the state, CHS is intensifying their efforts to keep more kids safe at home by offering programs that meet families at the crossroads of their struggles and successes and intervene before cri-

ses even occur.

“We can attribute much of our success to the leadership, generosity and advocacy of the Legacy Circle members being honored today,” said Charles Scherer, CHS Regional Executive Director serving Palm Beach. “Because of the Leg acy Circle’s commitment, we can help more families find – and pursue – opportunities for long-term success.”

Guests of the event had the opportunity to learn more about CHS’ successes, particularly in their work to create loving, forever families through adoption. Special guest speakers, Kelley and David Light, shared their touching personal story of adopting their youngest son TJ through CHS in 2017. Last year CHS helped more than 700 children across the state of Florida find their forever home.

Luncheon sponsors included: The David & Sondra Mack Foundation, Inc., Carolyn Carrano, Rev. Dr. Lois M. Gackenheimer, R.N, The Donald and Barbara Zucker Family Foundation, John and Jana Scarpa and Daszkal Bolton LLP.

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March 19 - March 25, 2021

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Edition 504 - 5

Advocate for disabled and Stand Among Friends founder Shawn Friedkin dies at 56 Neurological Disorders) and was the initiator of the well-known and well-attended annual Boca Beach Bash and the annual SAF “emb(race)” for athletes with and without disabilities.

Born in Miami Beach and raised in Youngstown, Ohio, he was a son of Lora “Skeets” (Garfunkel) Friedkin and Monte Friedkin, both of whom have been involved in the Boca Raton political scene.

Their son earned his bachelor’s degree in finance and marketing at Syracuse University where he met his future wife, Lisa. They were together for 38 years and have two daughters,

By: Dale King Shawn Adam Friedkin, 56, a nationally known advocate for people with disabilities and a founding member of the Boca Raton Advisory Board for People with Disabilities, died March 3 after a seven-year battle against cancer.

Mr. Friedkin was himself paralyzed in a 1992 traffic accident and spent the rest of his life in a wheelchair. Rather than settle into a cycle of limited mobility, his fighting spirit compelled him to start his own non-profit organization called Stand Among Friends (SAF), whose mission, in Mr. Friedkin’s own words, was to help people with disabilities “live a life without limits.”

What began simply as a desire to buid awareness of the opportunities available for those with spinal cord and neurological injuries led to the creation of The Disability Center, which provides career and vocational guidance to adults with disabilities of any kind.

Both Stand Among Friends and the Disability Center are located on the Boca Raton campus of Florida Atlantic University in the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing, and have served more than 7,000 people with disabilities, helping hundreds of adults with disabilities find meaningful employment.

In 2015, Mr. Friedkin was honored by the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation for his years of work based in Boca Raton on behalf of people who are paralyzed. Actor Christopher Reeve was himself paralyzed in

Community

In addition to being a founding member of the Boca Raton Advisory Board for People with Disabilities, he served as its chairman from 2007 to 2010.

a horse-riding accident which confined him in a wheelchair equipped with breathing assistance equipment.

Shawn was recognized by the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation with its Visionary Leadership Award. He also received the LEAH Pillar of the Community Award, the Tiffany & Co. Outstanding Service Award, the Men with Caring Heats

Award from the Florence Fuller Child Development Centers in Boca Raton and West Boca as well as the FAU President’s Distinguished Service Medallion.

In addition to being a founding member of the Boca Raton Advisory Board for People with Disabilities, he served as its chairman from 2007 to 2010. Mr. Friedkin was also a founding member of END (End

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Bennett and Sydney (Friedkin) Park.

In addition to his parents, wife and children, he is survived by sisters Mindi Fasnacht and Dawn Friedkin; his mother-in-law, June Cohen and brother-in-law Matthew Cohen; four nieces, three nephews and many aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in Shawn’s memory to Stand Among Friends at http://standamongfriends.org/donate.

March 19 - March 25, 2021

6 - Edition 504 The Boca Raton Tribune EDITORIALS & LETTERS East/West Boca Raton, FL

The Boca Raton Tribune Founded January 15, 2010

DOUGLAS HEIZER, Publisher Editorial C. RON ALLEN PEDRO HEIZER MICHAEL DEMYAN

Our Writers/Reporters and Columnists MICHAEL DEMYAN CHARLOTTE BEASLEY PAMALA WEINROTH

SYNESIO LYRA ROBERT WEINROTH BRYANNA BASILLO

JAY VAN VECHTEN JESSICA DEL VECCHIO KENNY SPAHN

Online Edition PEDRO HEIZER DINI HEIZER

Business DOUGLAS HEIZER GABRIELA HEIZER

EDITORIAL By: C. Ron Allen

It Only Takes One Dedicated Mentor to Shape a Child’s Future ‘The children are our future.’

We often say those words, but what if a child takes a wrong turn in life, becomes ensnared in crime, drug-addiction or suicide and selfdestruction? If children are truly our future, then we adults owe them a helping hand in shaping it.

We can do so through mentoring.

As a children’s advocate and founder of the KOP Mentoring Network here in Palm Beach County, I believe every young person needs a caring adult mentor to provide encouragement and support to succeed in school and in life. Many of us have the power to truly impact their future by simply showing up as a caring friend and mentor.

We have seen the benefits of mentoring in addressing our schools’ graduation rates, which, have been increasing in recent years here in South Florida and

across the nation. In what can only be described as good news, the Palm Beach County School District again has a graduation rate that has outperformed other large school districts in Florida. More public-school students are graduating than ever as the district’s graduation rate rose from 90 percent in 2017 to 91.7 percent in 2018.

The improvement is due in part to adult volunteers who have come forward to help poorly performing students stay on track academically. Nationally, one-third of all high schools provide mentors to their students, which amounts to one in 10 high school students, according to an U.S. Department of Education analysis. The study showed “some significant evidence” that suggests programs that provide high school students adult volunteers may help students stay in school.

At KOP Mentoring Network, we see the fruits of mentoring in our Oratorical, STRE2AM2, and Wealth Building and Entrepreneurship programs. Some of our students come from homes that have incarcerated parents or guardians.

Without intervention these children are more likely to follow that same path. While our mentors help build student academic skills, the underlying theme for us is making our students see that someone cares enough to be there and expects the best from them.

Our mentors are ordinary people who serve as advisers and teachers. They are motivators and role models, who believe in the students we work with. We see the potential and work hard in helping students get to where they want to go. The youngsters participating in the KOP Monitoring Network are less likely to use drugs and alco-

hol and less likely to skip school.

They are more confident in their academic performance, and they are better able to get along with their families. In short, our mentors are making a difference, a real impact in the lives of the youngsters they serve.

The children are our future, but to quote another well-known adage about the harvest being plentiful but the laborers are few. There are still far too many of our young people who lack the support and the tools to succeed in school and in life. Despite the best efforts of the many men and women who serve as mentors and the agencies that support them, much more can be accomplished with the help of more dedicated volunteers. It only takes one caring mentor to shape a child’s future.

POSITIVE LIVING By: Dr. Synesio Lyra

Everybody Needs Self-Improvement!

Life will take you only as far as you are prepared to go.

Sadly, too many people miss the challenge and the privilege of excelling in what they do, simply because they put limitations in their abilities and barriers to new frontiers!

Those, however, who recognize that there is much more to life than what is obvious before one’s eyes, will make every effort to continue advancing into new ventures, creating new projects, making valid new contributions to much that can benefit from their input!

Contemporary author and speaker, Jon Acuff, wisely adMarch 19 - March 25, 2021

dressed this important issue, when he challenged: “You can’t be anything you want, but you can be something even better: the best version of you.”

In attempting to meet this achievable possibility, learn to offer an emphatic no to anything that might deceive you, and impede the realization of positive challenges you had committed yourself to with an unequivocal yes!

Throughout life you face a continual series of great possibilities which can lead you forward instead of keeping you paralyzed and incapable of advancing. Satisfaction with me-

diocrity will never bring anyone to achievement, and that condition will be the portion of any person disinterested in experiencing self-improvement.

At the same time it’s imperative that you also learn to recognize and remedy personal signs of decay long before they become a fatal reality. Be observant of where you are, where you are heading, how you may conquer certain fears and inevitable challenges, besides the ways of overcoming other conditions which can easily turn out into obstacles that would prevent or prolong

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your diligent attempts!

Never limit your self-improvement to one aspect of your life only; attempt to get better in every area of your being, by acting comprehensively in your personal search for the best! Take to heart the challenge of some branch of our Armed Forces which states: “The difficult we do immediately; the impossible takes a little longer.” It’s action, not inactivity; it’s decisiveness, not hesitation; it’s courage, not fear, that demonstrate self-improvement in one’s self, and in the final product envisioned!

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Edition 504 - 7

The Boca Raton Tribune

COLUMNISTS FAITH

ROBERT’S COMMUNITY REPORT

By: Rick Boxx

By: Robert Weinroth

COVID-19 vaccination updates Governor expands vaccine eligibility Governor Ron DeSantis recently expanded the groups eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine in Florida.

Eligible residents now include: Long-term care facility residents and staff; Persons 65 years of age and older; Health care personnel with direct patient contact; K-12 school employees and childcare workers (any age); Sworn law enforcement officers 50 years of age and older; Firefighters 50 years of age and older; and Persons deemed extremely vulnerable to COVID-19 as determined by a physician who provides an attestation that the patient meets the defined eligibility criteria outlined in the Department of Health form.

Vaccine locations in Palm Beach County and the surrounding area Publix’s portal for scheduling appointments is open Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 7 a.m. for persons listed in 1-7 above; CVS pharmacies: Currently, the only location in Palm Beach County is in Belle Glade.

Visit their website to book an appointment and/or other locations for persons listed in 1-7 above; Winn Dixie Vaccine Information Page (Hypoluxo Rd in Lake Worth and Sample Road in Margate) for persons listed in 1-7 above ; Wal-Mart Vaccine Information Page (currently no PBC locations); Federally-Supported Vaccine Sites (FloridaDisaster.org) (currently no PBC locations - Miami location available); The Florida Department of Health (FDOH) or call 866-201-6754 if you don’t have internet access. These sites require appointments (see links above) ; Health Care District of Palm Beach County (HCD) or call 561-804-4115. Once

you sign up (see link above), you will be placed in a virtual waiting room for scheduling on a first-come, first-serve basis. K-12 school employees and childcare workers 50 plus only All individuals who submitted an appointment request prior to March 1 but were not contacted for an appointment can submit a new appointment request and check “Yes” in the box indicating they were on the waitlist. HCD will verify and prioritize accordingly.

The following three vaccination sites are being operated by the HCD. These sites require appointments (see links above). No walk-ins permitted.

South Florida Fairgrounds in West Palm Beach Burns Road Community Center in Palm Beach Gardens South County Civic Center in Delray Beach (TTY number for hearing impaired: 833.476.1532) Veterans Vaccines T h e We s t Palm Beach VA Medical Center is now offering vaccines for all eligible veterans of all ages who receive care at the VA. The vaccine is offered by appointment and on a walk-in basis at Building 14 on our main campus in West Palm Beach from 10 am to 3pm Monday - Friday. For more information, call 561.422.5200.

COVID-19 Cases in Seniors Drop Recent reports indicate cases of COVID-19 have plunged among Florida seniors.

New cases dropped 56 percent in the past four weeks among people 65 and over.

A clear indication that vaccines are working.

The Governor recently reported that over 60 percent of the seniors in Palm Beach County have received the vaccination.

However, it is critical everyone remain vigilant with mask-wearing, social distancing, and hand sanitizing/washing.

With new variants on the rise, we are still susceptible to potential upticks in positivity rates.

Choosing Calm and Quiet in a World of Angry and Loud Three guests were invited to debate an emotional topic on a talk show program.

The discussion among the two guests and the host became so heated that they began shouting at each other. (I know, this has become almost standard behavior on broadcast media these days, but I wanted to point out what happened next.)

Finally, after the shouting had gone on for several minutes, the host stopped the bickering by asking the third guest, who had been silent, for her opinion. Her quiet and thoughtful words suddenly brought order to the chaos. Not only that, but her demeanor also made her seem more credible than the others with their shrill shouting.

In our world today, with noise coming at us from all directions, some have decided that the one who shouts the loudest wins. It is another take on the adage, “the squeaky wheel gets the grease.” But in reality, a calm and collected approach to communicating is still the most effective and most of the time, carries the most impact.

This is hardly a new revelation. The Bible, which some have considered as the greatest book on business and professional practices, has much to say about the strengths, weaknesses and pitfalls of the spoken word. For instance, Proverbs 15:1 states, “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” Another passage says, “A wise man’s heart guides his mouth, and his lips promote instruction” (Proverbs 16:23).

Such admonitions are not limited to TV and radio talk show programs. Years ago, civic leaders gathered in a major city to discuss the possibility of making a proposal to host the Summer Olympics. Discussion turned negative, with most participants focusing on the potential problems hosting such a massive event could cause.

After interaction had gone on for

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more than two hours, the meeting’s leader turned to one of the newest members of the group. This individual had yet to offer any comments, so the moderator pointed asked, “Ted, you have not said anything.

What do you think?” With everyone else in the room sitting quietly and expectantly, he calmly and quietly responded, “Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean.”

Only two or three minutes passed, but it seemed like hours as everyone else in the room pondered what Ted had just said. Suddenly, someone excited said, “You know, he’s right!” And from that point, the whole course of the meeting changed. Ted did not tell them his reply was a direct quote from the Bible, Proverbs 14:4, but his meaning was clear: No manure, no milk. Or to put it into better workplace terms, to accomplish anything of importance, you have to be willing to confront inevitable challenges.

The Scriptures tell us God’s preferred way of communicating with His people is to do so softly, not by shouting or giving dramatic messages. In 1 Kings 19, we read about Elijah, who had been used by God in a series of miracles. Afterward, physically and emotionally depleted, the prophet had fled upon learning the vicious queen Jezebel sought to kill him. After resting and being refreshed, Elijah had waited for God’s next instructions. There came a powerful wind, then an earthquake. Verse 12 tells us, “After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.”

God had chosen to communicate with Elijah through quiet words only the attentive prophet could hear. For all of us in the marketplace, the application is simple: To sell our product or idea, sometimes a gentle whisper is better than a shout. And if you pray about a major decision, maybe God wants to wait for His whisper.

March 19 - March 25, 2021

8 - Edition 504

Boca Raton Hires New Assistant City Manager The City of Boca Raton is pleased to announce the promotion of Christina Gibson to Assistant City Manager, effective March 22, 2021. Gibson, who currently serves as the Communications Manager, will help coordinate the activities of the City Manager’s Office and the City.

“Ms. Gibson’s skills, abilities and knowledge of the community are a welcomed addition to the City Manager’s office,” commented Deputy City Manager, George Brown.

“Her presence on the team will enhance the City’s efforts to provide outstanding municipal services to our residents, businesses, visitors, and other stakeholders and community partners.”

An accomplished local g overnment professional with over 10 years of experience, Gibson began her career with the City in 2010 as the Community Relations Manager for the Mizner Park Amphitheater. In 2015, Gibson was promoted to Communications and Marketing Manager where she

was tasked with building the Communications and Marketing Division for the City and implementing a City-wide communications plan which included media relations, public relations, social media, marketing, and crisis communications.

“Ms. Gibson has been successful in her previous roles and responsibilities with the City, and she will be an excellent asset to the organization in her new role,” commented Deputy City Manager, Mike Woika.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Florida Atlantic University and is currently working on obtaining a Master’s in Public Administration from Nova Southeastern University. Gibson attained certification as an Advanced Public Information Officer from FEMA, served as a founding board member of the Florida Municipal Communicators Association, and is a long-time sustaining member of the Junior League of Boca Raton.

Local Organization Providing Highly Nutritious Meals to those in Need During the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, a team of young changemakers at Marine Education Initiative realized that the soup kitchens in South Florida needed more support. Thus, after a few months of researching and thorough planning, MEI sprung into action by launching its Aquaponics Food Security & Education Program. Aquaponics is the raising of fish and plants in a recirculating ecosystem. The fish waste provides nutrients for the plants, and the bacteria and plants help to clean the water for the fish.

Aquaponics can grow a tremendous amount of food with a fraction of the water as well as land that is normally utilized in soil-based agriculture.

Produce can be grown locally in our urban communities, providing access to nutritious food, creating jobs, and eliminating the huge carbon footprint

associated with transporting food long distances.

In January of 2021, Marine Education Initiative launched its Aquaponics Food Security & Education Program to educate the next generation about sustainable agriculture as well as provide fresh meals of fish and vegetables to soup kitchens in South Florida. By utilizing handson STEM education tools, students who visit the center are able to experience first-hand how to test water quality and the science behind the nitrogen cycle. Situated in an indoor controlled warehouse environment in Boca Raton, FL, MEI produces over 150 heads of lettuce as well as trays of microgreens for local soup kitchens on a weekly basis. Join us on Friday, March 19th at 2:30pm as we deliver our first harvest of fresh vegetables to area soup kitchens in South Florida.

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March 19 - March 25, 2021

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Edition 504 - 9

Design Do’s & Don’ts: Embrace the Year’s Top Interior Design Trends The COVID-19 pandemic permanently evolved our definition of “home,” inspiring us to reconsider how we use and live in our spaces. For many, it’s no longer just the place where we relax and regroup at the end of the day – it’s also an office, daycare, eatery, gym or classroom.

Whether you’re looking to create balance and boundaries between work and play or simply want to turn over a new leaf, there’s never been a more perfect time to commit to switching things up with major home design updates and DIY projects.

The thought of overhauling your home’s décor can be overwhelming, but finding inspiration in the year’s top trends – like the annual 2021 Design Trends developed by FrogTape in collaboration with celebrity interior designer Taniya Nayak – can help take the pressure off.

Follow these do’s and don’ts to achieve professional results while embracing 2021’s top interior design trends.

1. Do: Create a personal sanctuary. We could all use an in-home sanctuary where we can retreat, rest and ease our minds from uncertainty and anxiety. From a dedicated meditation room to a simple, quiet corner,

using cozy layers and soothing colors can establish a tranquil environment to ground you on even the most hectic days.

2. Don’t: Shy away from colors. Don’t be afraid to incorporate colors in your home décor – especially in spaces designated for happy activities like after-work cocktails or fun with kids and pets. Vivid greens, pinks and blues, inspired by the outdoors, fruity drinks and blue skies, evoke joyful emotions. Create a sense of fun in your playroom, backyard or patio by incorporating cheerful hues, playful accessories and bright textiles. Use a high-quality paint-

er’s tape like FrogTape to bring this trend to life with custom hand-painted planters or bold geometric accent walls.

3. Do: Use contrast to establish focal points. From adding a pop of bright color against a neutral tone to pairing light, airy textures against deep leathers, there are countless ways to create focal points using contrast throughout the home. This trend works especially well in kitchens, dining rooms and breakfast nooks. Embrace stunning, nature-inspired hues in eating areas by painting cabinets or an accent wall in a rich tone and displaying other color-

ful touches to catch your eye while you enjoy your meals.

4. Don’t: Settle for a dull work-fromhome space. For those working from home into 2021 and beyond, establishing boundaries between work and play is critical.

Whether you have a sprawling office or a small nook under a staircase, create a space that makes you excited to “go into work.”

Combine neutral tones with punches of color to ignite your creativity while keeping you alert and focused throughout the day.

5. Do: Add your own personal twist.

While design trends can serve as a great starting point to spark your inspiration, they’re meant to serve as more of a mood board than a rule book. Whether it’s a unique painting or an over-the-top accent wall, be sure to incorporate elements of your own style, interests and flair as you plan out your projects and designs.

To learn more about this year’s top interior design trends and how you can incorporate them in your upcoming home design updates, visit FrogTape.com/Trends.

With the right tools and inspiration, you can achieve professional results in your home redesign.

Make a Statement: 3 Comfortable Yet Stylish Shoe Trends to Try in 2021 While comfort will continue to reign supreme for clothing and accessories in 2021, when it comes to footwear, there are a variety of fun fashion trends that make a statement. The good news is that there’s no need to overhaul your entire closet. And it’s easier than ever to incorporate on-trend pieces into a comfortable and casual outfit.

According to Alyson Stanley, buyer for national retailer Rack Room Shoes, simple clothing choices paired with shoes featuring leopard print detailing, pops of pastel, or silver accents make getting dressed easy and fun. Whether walking around the neighborhood, enjoying a socially-distanced event, or leading a Zoom meeting, here are some tips on how to stay cozy and on-trend this year.

Animal Prints: In the past, mixing patterns was taboo, but according to Stanley, it’s now encouraged. Sneakers, clogs, and casual shoes with animal print accents serve as a neutral accessory that can be mixed and paired with any item in the closet. Nike’s Court Vision Low Sneaker puts a fun twist on cheetah print accents, while the adidas Puremotion Adapt is a stylish slip-on sneaker with a crisscross leopard print pattern.

Plus

Metallic Accents: Athletic shoes featuring a hint of shine or iridescent details provide a versatile option for those get-

ting their steps in or committing to fitness goals. Because metallics such as rose gold, silver, and gold can mesh with a broad

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range of color palettes and design styles, they are “the new neutral.” For those onthe-go, athletic shoes such as the Nike Swift 2 and the Nike Court Vision are selections that offer a touch of silver, gold, or platinum detailing.

Joyful Pastels and Playful Patterns: This season’s footwear features a palette of cotton candy-inspired shades (think lavender, mint green, and bubblegum pink). The possibilities to incorporate these colors into this season’s outfits are limitless. While you may know Crocs’ classic clogs are surprisingly comfortable and functional, you may not be aware that they now come in many pastel-colored options such as mint, lilac, and a pattern featuring a baby blue shade swirled with cloud forms.

For all your family’s footwear needs, visit rackroomshoes.com for online shopping or curbside pickup options.

“Though many of us are still spending the majority of the day working, exercising, and taking classes online from home, clothing and accessories still afford us the opportunity to express our unique style,” says Stanley. “The patterns and color trends for shoes in 2021 can bring joy to everyday outfits for the entire family.”

March 19 - March 25, 2021

10 - Edition 504

Shopping card sterilizer wins top honor at Investor Pitch Competition By: Dale King Taking a cue from need related to the pandemic, Jordan Herold, a 10th grader from American Heritage School in Delray Beach, created a business called “Stericart” to sterilize shopping carts.

His entrepreneurial proposal took top honors at the Investor Panel Competition held last week for the 12 Palm Beach County students enrolled in this year’s Young Entrepreneur Academy (YEA) sponsored by the Greater Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce.

The annual contest that normally completes the YEA term, was held in a “Shark Tank”-style setting. It gave YEA participants three minutes to present a summary of their business idea to a panel of four judges. It also offered them the opportunity to seek cash from potential investors to help bankroll their business operations.

Chamber President and CEO Troy McLellan said Herold created Stericart “out of concern for the safety of his family and friends during the current pandemic. Stericart provides shopping carts with a ‘carwash’ of UVC light. By applying this light, shopping cart handles become more sterile than when cleaned with a traditional sanitizing wipe.”

Herold’s plan shows a 12-foot-long, 12-foot-high “tunnel” with UV lights on

the top. Carts are rolled through and sterilized for reuse by store customers.

The 10th grader will represent the Boca Chamber’s YEA Chapter in national competition in Rochester, N.Y. later this year.

Actually, the 2021 competition – presented in virtual format via computer due to the COVID-19 threat -- yielded two winners. Kennedy Murray, a home-schooled student, created a business service called KALMPound, which provides counseling and resources to high school students of color. During his presentation, he described the effort as a “mental health nonprofit” which aids youthful learners at no cost to them.

Kennedy received $1,275 in seed money based on the business relevance, need and economics of his proposal, said Golden Bell Foundation Manager Sherese James-Grow.

YEA is part of the Chamber’s Golden Bell program that also distributes money to Boca schools to buy needed items not covered by education budgets.

This year’s runner-up was Chloe Levine, a 10th grader from Saint Andrews School, with her business, Buddy Belt. Designed for dog owners to use when they walk their pets, the unique belt features nine customizable, adjustable and detachable compartments for treats, poop pickup bags, wipes, a collapsible water bowl, medical items and other supplies.

She received $1,200 to help pay for her ongoing business efforts.

Coming in third was Leah Gonzalez from Wellington Landings Middle School whose business, Blue Baked Bakery, received $1,150 from investors. Gonzalez’ entrepreneurial proposal prepares and sells two healthy food treats, keto chocolate chip cookies and alfajores, Panamanian sandwich cookies filled with dulce de leche, a creamy caramel confection made from milk and sugar.

The Young Entrepreneurs Academy, now in its 11th year, is an educational pro-

gram that takes students in grades six to 12 through the process of starting and running real businesses over the course of a full academic year.

Students work closely with local leaders of industry, community members, and educators to develop ideas and objectives, write business plans, pitch potential investors, obtain funding, register with governmental agencies and develop their brand identity.

By the end of the course, students own and operate fully functioning businesses that can be carried on after graduation. YEA’s direct mission is to help students embrace their passion, energy, creativity and talents, launch a venture and view entrepreneurship as synonymous with success and freedom.

McLellan proffered his thanks to instructors and mentors “who helped to make this year’s virtual program a success.”

In addition, he offered his gratitude to this year’s investor panel judges: Robert Finizio, CEO of TherapeuticsMD; Zoe Maloney, senior vice-president and chief human resources officer at Office Depot; Lise Orr, vice-president of Minuteman Press and Sam Zietz, CEO and founder of TouchSuite.

Among speakers at the event was Kasandra Diaz, last year’s YEA winner.

Then a senior at Boca Raton Community High School, she said she had “an amazing experience” at regional competition in 2020.

Other students who made presentations during the March 3 Investor Panel event were Christian Frenette, The RealWorld Money Game; Mithil Kosa, Better Brace, for soccer players and other athletes; Emily King, Camp DeLight Virtual Camp; Rithik Mandalapu, Shop EZ; Zachary Schiller, Social Share; Camila Spinosi, Buddie Visits; Jacob Wein, Free Play and Joshua Rubin, Shootle.

Lynn Students gain grant PBSC announces NISOD Excellence knowledge through virtual coaching Award winners Kirsten Stevens began working with Jerry Hildebrand, Lynn’s director of the Center for Social Impact, two years ago. She founded The Kannico Agency in 2005 to provide coaching and consulting for people looking to start and run their own nonprofit.

Stevens relocated the company to South Florida from North Carolina in 2015 where it experienced significant growth following its partnership with Bound for College, a Delray Beach-based nonprofit that provides ACT/ SAT preparation for low-income students.

Soon afterward, Stevens discovered the Social Impact Lab through two Lynn graduates, and she contacted Hildebrand to explore partnership opportunities. Since 2019, she’s offered information, resources and tools to help Lynn students become successful.

“I want to make resources available for students to learn at no cost to them or the nonprofits they want to help,” said Stevens.

When COVID-19 shut down in-person gatherings last March, Stevens pivoted to offer Lynn students free virtual coaching programs. Her December webinar-based workshop focused on grant writing and research March 19 - March 25, 2021

and, to her delight, had 66 students attend it.

Sara Arippol, class of 2021, and Avery O’Rourke, class of 2022, additionally landed Stevens as their mentor. “[They] write the grants, and I provide screen captures that provide edits and explanations on how they can improve their proposals,” said Stevens about the process.

At the end of their programs, Arippol and O’Rourke will receive a Certificate of Completion in grant writing and content for future grants.

The accolades will help the students prepare grants for nong overnmental organizations in Ghana as part of their involvement in Lynn’s Virtual Intern Partnership program.

Stevens hopes to continue opening students’ minds. “I want to give students the infrastructure to be good global citizens and to be as informed as they can be. I want to keep doing this until I’m 80,” she added.

Stevens’ next virtual webinar takes place this month. It will address establishing a 501(c)(3) registered nonprofit with the IRS to qualify for foundation grant funding. The Social Impact Lab plans to record the webinar for ongoing student access.

Palm Beach State College has selected professors Dr. Emmanuel Alvarado and Dr. Matt Klauza as its 2021 recipients of the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development Excellence Awards.

NISOD presents the awards annually to faculty and staff chosen by their respective community and technical colleges for excellence in teaching, learning and leadership. This year’s honorees will be recognized during NISOD’s annual International Conference on Teaching and Leadership Excellence, which will be held virtually April 28-30.

“It’s quite an honor to get this recognition, especially alongside Matt,’’ Alvarado said. “I’m only able to receive an award like this because of the teamwork I do at the College. No person could effectively serve our students without working with others.”

“It is a great honor,’’ said Klauza, who led the creation of PBSC’s new Center for Teaching and Learning.

“It’s really a nice capstone for the work that I’ve done for the last three years.”

Alvarado joined the faculty in 2013 and teaches Spanish and sociology at the Palm Beach Gardens campus. He is a facilitator for the New Faculty Experience, a comprehensive program designed to orient and mentor newly hired full-time faculty. He has organized PBSC’s Spanish Language Celebration for several years, drawing students, employees and members of the community.

He is the advisor for the Spanish Club, which through a grant from Insight Through Education, a Palm Beach Gardens nonprofit organization, sponsored student trips to the Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C. Alvarado also spearheaded a partnership with the University of Florida to secure a grant to offer new Portuguese courses, which began at PBSC this spring.

He has published numerous articles and presented various conference papers in the fields of sociolinguistics

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and Hispanic studies, and he co-authored two books — “Intimacies and Cultural Change” and “Transnational Popular Psychology and the Global Self-Help Industry,” — and a book chapter. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations from the Monterrey Institute of Technology in Monterrey, Mexico and earned his Master of Arts in Spanish and Ph.D. in Comparative Studies from Florida Atlantic University.

Klauza has been teaching for over 20 years, starting as a high school English instructor in Michigan. After joining the faculty at PBSC in 2011, he became immediately involved in professional development opportunities. Through his work leading the development of the Center for Teaching and Learning, which replaced the Professional Teaching and Learning Center, faculty now have a more comprehensive resource to learn best practices in teaching and ultimately increase student success. He also created the New Faculty Experience and the faculty CARES certificate program. This is not the first time that Klauza, English Department chair on the Lake Worth campus, has been recognized for his work. He won a Stewart Distinguished Teaching Award from PBSC in 2013. In addition to his doctorate in English from Auburn University, he holds master’s and bachelor’s degree in English from Eastern Michigan University. He also completed nearly 40 additional credit hours in graduate-level coursework in the practice and innovation of teaching and learning.

“I’m continuously inspired by the dedication and excellent work of our faculty, and this year is no different,” said PBSC President Ava L. Parker, J.D. “Dr. Klauza and Dr. Alvarado are outstanding professors who have helped advance our institution and ensure that all of our faculty receive consistent and continuous support and professional development to best serve our students.

I am pleased that they were chosen for this recognition.”

Community

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Edition 504 - 11

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12 - Edition 504

FAU Study Shows Where Money is Best Spent to Fight a Pandemic In deciding on how to combat pandemics like COVID-19, the total amount a government is willing to invest is critical. Countries with few budgetary and economic constraints should invest heavily in prevention measures, while investing in treatment appears to be the better strategy if money is limited, according to a research team that includes three professors at Florida Atlantic University.

The study, published in the journal Risk Analysis, identifies optimal investment against a pandemic by minimizing the risks based on an economic model. The researchers say COVID-19 underscores the need for a better understanding of how contacts through human networks affect the spread of infectious diseases.

“A very large investment is always needed in order for prevention to be effective,” said C. Derrick Huang, Ph.D., an associate professor in FAU’s College of Business and the lead author of the study.

Policymakers can choose to make large, long-term investments in early detection, testing and contact tracing systems to spread out the total spending requirements. That is what Asian countries such as South Korea and Taiwan did, and judging by the case and death count they have succeeded in fighting COVID-19, according to the professors.

But without long-term investment in public health and emergency response, as in the case of the United States, governments would have to take severe measures such as lockdowns at the onset of the pandemic to prevent it from spreading. As the number

of COVID-19 cases spiked in the U.S. last spring, federal and state governments ordered the closing of non-essential businesses and urged citizens to stay at home, putting millions of people out of work and sending the U.S. economy into a recession.

“To make these drastic prevention measures successful, however, large economic investments have to be made to bail out businesses, subsidize lost wages, provide relief for lost tax revenues, and so on,” Huang said. “Either way, over time or as an

immediate response, prevention is only effective if the government is willing to make large investments.”

Also working on the study were Milad Baghersad, Ph.D., and Ravi Behara, Ph.D., of FAU and Christopher Zobel, Ph.D., of Virginia Tech.

The study also notes that the nature of human contact is an important consideration in prevention. Rather than shutting down the whole economy, closing the potential super-spreader events and hot spots

may be enough to effectively stop the transmission, the researchers said.

However, when funds are in short supply, disease prevention is difficult in densely populated or highly connected regions. In those cases, investing in treatment such as boosting hospital capacity can be more effective.

“Our results are consistent with existing studies and can be used to properly interpret what happened in past pandemics as well as shed light on future and ongoing events such as COVID-19,” the study states.

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Edition 504 - 13

Boca’s Glades Road overpass to sport ‘diverging diamond’ interchange by 2023 By: Dale King A common observation states that diamonds are a girl’s best friend.

But does a new roadway design called a “diverging diamond interchange” have a chance to become the motoring public’s best friend?

That is something that drivers who use Boca Raton’s Glades Road, one of busiest thoroughfares in the city as well as in Palm Beach County, will find out in a couple of years.

T he Florida Department of Transportation this month launched a major highway project that will impact Interstate 95, the Clint Moore Road bridge over ‘95 and the Glades Road overpass just west of the intersection with Airport Road and NW 15th Avenue.

“The 95 Express Lanes Phase 3B-2 project will extend the existing express lanes [on I-95] north from just south of Glades Road to south of Linton Boulevard in Delray Beach.”

The express lanes, much like those that already exist on highways in Broward and Miami-Dade counties, cuts travel time for through traffic because cars, trucks, buses and other vehicles can use the limited access lanes for speedier long-distance trips.

In preparation for the new express lanes, FDOT has already erected large directional signs on ‘95 showing where and how vehicles can jump into the fast lanes and how much it will cost for the quicker trip. Motorists will be charged via Sun Pass or by license plate billing.

Actually, two major construction projects in the works, one of which will overhaul the Glades Road interchange. The Glades Road bridge that carries local traffic over I-95 north and south will be revamped into an unconventional, yet increasingly popular new formation — a “diverging diamond.”

A newly developed traffic idea -- also called a double crossover diamond interchange – provides a safe, traffic light-controlled roadway in which traffic on the nonfreeway road crosses to the opposite lanes on both sides of the bridge at the freeway, says an internet description of the interchange.

It is unusual, the web notes, in that it requires traffic on the freeway overpass to briefly drive on the opposite side of the road from what motorists customary do.

The diamond-shaped pattern, first used in France around 2000, came to the United States in 2009 with the first diverging diamond interchange in Springfield, Mo. Since then, more than 100 have been creCommunity

ated across the country and more are being planned.

Highway designers consider the slightly unorthodox design to be a safer method than the straight-across-the-bridge system.

Among other things, the diamond will make left turns onto ‘95 north and south safer by eliminating long turns and reducing the likelihood that cars may enter the highway in the wrong direction.

FDOT says the traffic realignment will also establish routes from NW 15th Avenue near the Boca High athletic complex and Airport Road by the city’s utility department onto Glades Road and through to ‘95.

One other unorthodox element. Pedestrians will cross the new Glades Road bridge by walking along a sidewalk in the middle, between the eastbound and westbound lanes.

The projects will cost an estimated $148 million. The Glades Road bridge work should be finished by summer 2023, says FDOT. The overall project should be finished by late 2023.

Regarding the new express lanes, the DOT says: “One lane will be added, and the High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane will be converted to create two express lanes in each direction. The number of general use lanes will remain the same.”

“Access to the express lanes will be provided via two designated ingress and egress locations – between Glades Road and Spanish River Boulevard and between Yamato Road and Linton Boulevard.”

FDOT says reconstruction of the Clint Moore Road bridge over I-95 also kicks off this month. “To ensure motorist and pedestrian safety, this bridge will be closed completely during construction. Crews are permitted to work from 7 a.m. until 6 p.m.

Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday. No work will be permitted on Sundays and holidays.”

Emergency access for first responders will be maintained throughout the duration of the closure, says FDOT. “Westbound traffic will be detoured via NW Second Avenue, Yamato Road and Congress Avenue. Eastbound traffic will be detoured via Park of Commerce Boulevard, Congress Avenue, Yamato Road and NW Second Avenue.”

Local neighborhood access will be maintained. Only the approaches and the bridge over ‘95 will be closed.

Reconstruction of the Clint Moore bridge is expected to be completed by summer of 2022.

For more information about the project, those interested can visit the project website, www.d4fdot.com.

Boca Raton’s Wick Theater beckons: ‘Come to the Cabaret’ By: Dale King A famous Broadway musical features a very unusual master of ceremonies who encourages the audience to “come to the Cabaret.”

Marilynn Wick, the owner and managing executive producer at the Wick Theater in Boca Raton, is offering the same advice.

But she’s not referring to the Kit Kat Club in 1930s Berlin, she’s talking about her own “cabaret” in the lobby of her theatrical venue at 7901 N. Federal Highway.

The Wick has been generally bereft of its theater presence for nearly a year after Marilynn was forced to cancel the final shows of last year’s season due to the coronavirus pandemic. She had plans to reopen the theater this season, but COVID didn’t let up, so she put off that slate of shows until the 2021-22 season.

In the meantime, Marilynn and her business partner/colleague, daughter Kimberly Wick, costume museum director, came up with the idea of preparing theater goers to return to live stage productions by giving them a taste of live entertainment in the expansive, opulently decorated lobby of the Wick that’s been transformed into a wide-open, socially distanced combination dining spot and cabaret.

Atop a riser at the center of the lobby is a grand piano, with room for musicians to gather and plenty of floor space for singers, comedians and other performers to do their thing – in appropriately spaced and sanitized surroundings.

Each evening of entertainment features a sumptuous multi-course meal prepared by the chef at the Tavern on the Wick inside the performance center. The meals include soup, salad, a main course and dessert, with complimentary tea and coffee included. A cash bar is also available.

Kimberly said the Wick offers cabaret-style productions, mainly on weekends, leading up to April 22, when the theater will reopen for “A Chorus Line,” the show that opened for a single weekend in the spring of 2020, only to close as Florida entered a period of coronavirus lockdown.

The Wicks hope “A Chorus Line” will run its regular course. The 2020-21 season is set to conclude with a one-woman comedy show after “A Chorus Line” closes, featuring actress/comedienne Cindy Williams, who portrayed Shirley Feeney on the classic TV show, “Laverne and Shirley.”

Kim said theater patrons who have been deprived of their usually pattern of attending productions in the theater are excited about returning for live indoor entertainment.

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She said the theater staff is meticulous about making sure that every exposed surface of the theater and lobby are well cleaned and sanitized before patrons enter.

“We have two foggers, and we go through the building every day. We have had a few events in the theater, and we make certain that ever y handrail and every armrest is sterilized.

We even use UV lights.”

Theater seats are appropriately socially distanced.

Attendants even make sure that rest rooms are clean and germfree between uses.

The cabaret series kicked off in February with an appearance by jazz artist Gabrielle Lee. “In celebration of Black History month, it was so appropriate that Gabrielle honored the great leading ladies of the Harlem Renaissance as well as other history-makers along the way,” said Marilynn.

Originally from Westerly, R.I., Nicolas King spent a musical long weekend at the Wick from March 4-6. A top-rated performer, King, 26, began crooning at age 8. He quickly developed a style touching on cabaret and jazz-swing. He swung into town accompanied by Rhode Island-based pianist Mike Renzi and special guest performer Veronica Swift.

The Wick pays tribute to a couple of entertainment Meccas – Broadway and Hollywood – this weekend.

A production of “Hooray for Hollywood,” a special two-night event planned for Thursday, March 18 and Friday, March 19, consists of an evening of music from Hollywood films, featuring songs such as “Goldfinger,” “The Way We Were” and “Love Story.” Trivia games and audience participation will be bundled in.

Broadway entertainers, Christy Altomare (Anastasia), Samantha Pauly (Six the Musical) and Jodie Langel (Les Misérables) top the bill for Making It on Broadway’s production of “Middle of a Moment,” a single-evening production on Saturday, March 20. They will perform along with the students from Making it on Broadway.

They will sing and dance to songs from such shows as “The Prom,” “Newsies,” “Mama Mia” and “Dear Evan Hansen.”

The theater is hosting the program, though it is not a Wick production.

Other upcoming performances include: March 25-27, The Queen’s Canteen, an evening of parodies and impersonations featuring Electra and Varla Jean.

April 1-3, Billy Stritch returns to Wick to transform the cabaret into “Billy’s Place.”

The talented singer and pianist brings a new show, songs and engaging stories.

March 19 - March 25, 2021

14 - Edition 504

FAU Unveils Center For Connected Autonomy and Artificial Intelligence Artificial intelligence technologies are quickly evolving and changing every aspect of industry in the United States and globally. Artificial intelligence enables autonomy by robotic mobility and control learned through examples and computational decision-making and estimation from data using past training data experience. It has the ability to process large amounts of data much faster and make predictions more accurately than humanly possible.

To rapidly advance the field of artificial intelligence and autonomy, Florida Atlantic University’s College of Engineering and Computer Science recently unveiled its “Center for Connected Autonomy and Artificial Intelligence” (CCA-AI), a cutting-edg e center designed to accelerate the development of innovative artificial intelligence and autonomy solutions.

“The Center for Connected Autonomy and Artificial Intelligence is a revolutionary effort that combines our expertise in artificial intelligence, supercomputing, sensing solutions, big data analytics and autonomous technologies,” said Stella Batalama, Ph.D., dean, College of Engineering and Computer Science. “We are proud to unveil this new

Private

center, which will enable us to deliver on the full promise and potential of this technology that is transforming industry from government and public services to life sciences and health care to transportation, financial services, energy and other fields.”

Housed in the state-of-the-art Engineering East building on the Boca Raton campus, the CCA-AI (ca-ai.fau.edu) is immersed in projects focused on underwater, surface, air and space applications that are supported by autonomous resilient machine-to-machine wireless networking. The center includes a robust team of highlytrained experts in artificial intelligence and realtime operational stage monitoring – all of which is based on software-defined, continuously self-optimized joint communication/computing platforms.

At the helm of the CCA-AI is Dimitris A. Pados, Ph.D., director, a professor in the Department of Computer and Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, a fellow of FAU’s Institute for Sensing and Embedded Network Systems Engineering (I-SENSE), and the Charles E. Schmidt Eminent Scholar in Engineering and Computer Science, who is nationally

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renowned in the areas of machine learning and connected artificial intelligence.

“Our center is testament to the spirit of collaboration within our college and across the university and is designed to position our researchers to help unlock the potential of artificial intelligence and autonomy together with our partners across industry, government and community,” said Pados. “The center also aligns with our vision to produce meaningful research that quickly translates into positive impacts on society while training the next generation of scientists in this burgeoning field.”

Current projects at the CCA-AI include an industry/government autonomous interference-avoiding networking project, which involves autonomous all-spectrum interference-avoiding wireless communications to support multi-domain (underwater, surface, air and space) connected artificial-intelligence/autonomy applications.

Researchers at the center also are working on novel machine-learning self-localization methods for robust positioning and navigation of autonomous systems in the absence of GPS; autonomously reconfigurable hardware-reduced wideband transceivers for efficient passive-active spectrum sharing; as well as an innovative reinforcement learning approach for decision making in complex environments, among others.

The CCA-AI currently includes eight faculty/senior members; nine graduate students; and nine undergraduate/high-

school/visiting students. The research team includes Oscar Curet, Ph.D., associate professor, FAU Department of Ocean and Mechanical Engineering; Gonzalo Garcia-Garreton, Ph.D., post-doctoral research fellow; Zhen Ni, Ph.D., assistant professor, FAU Department of Computer and Electrical Engineering and Computer Science; George Sklivanitis, Ph.D., research assistant professor and a fellow of FAU’s I-SENSE; Amir Torabi, Ph.D., post-doctoral research fellow; Xiangnan Zhong, Ph.D., assistant professor, FAU Department of Computer and Electrical Engineering and Computer Science; and Shermeen Yousif, Ph.D., assistant professor; School of Architecture, FAU’s Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, FAU Broward campus.

On the education front, the CCA-AI and the College of Engineering and Computer Science received a $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) S-STEM program for their project titled, “Making the Masters’ Degree in AI Accessible to High-achieving, Low-income Students.” The project will support with scholarships, up to 25 high-achieving FAU students with financial needs to complete the first M.S. degree in artificial intelligence in Florida offered by the FAU College of Engineering and Computer Science.

The CCA-AI is supported by the Schmidt Family Foundation, FAU’s ISENSE, the NSF, the U.S Department of Defense (DOD) and U.S. industry, totaling more than $5 million in funding.

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Edition 504 - 17 The Boca Boca Raton Raton Tribune Tribune CLASSIFIEDS CLASSIFIEDS East/West East/West Boca Boca Raton, Raton, FL FL The

The The Boca Boca Raton Raton Tribune Tribune

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18 - Edition 504

The Boca Raton Tribune

SPORTS Senior Spotlight: First- StringFirst with Ahman Ross By: Brianna Smith For some, sports go beyond just the extracurricular activity you decide on as a middle school student. This happens to be true for Ahman Ross and his first steps which led him to a football field at the tender age of five years old.

There are things in life that we are taught to love and then there are things you just fall in love with.

This is the linebacke r ’s r e a l i ty-- it takes well rounded coaching and practice to perfect your passions and Ross had that all figured out from the start.

“Ever since my first football practice I just fell in love with the game,” Ross said. “It’s just always been something that I watched, listened to and paid attention to.”

Ross, like many who start out at a young age, has had the opportunity to experience football full circle. Mundane with Florida, he comes from Jacksonville where he spent his high school years attending The Bolles School.

In 2017, the then safety, committed to FAU, joining the Owls football program as a true freshman. Since then, he has gone on to accomplish things on the collegiate level.

But, the team captain’s story is a prime example of wanting something and going after it. His freshman year he got injured during preseason which caused him to have to sit out for the remainder of the regular season.

The following year, in 2018, Ross eased his way into the game and finally made his come back in 2019 where he recorded a total of 25 solo tackles [SOLO] and 14 assisted tackles [AST] completing that season with a [TOT] total of 39 tackles.

“I’ve gotten better on the field as far as making strides and in the weight room-- on the field as far as playing,” Ross said. “But I really put my focus on my mental aspect of the game.

He is now one of the team captains for the 2021 football season and is considered a leader on and off the field. Since realizing that football is just as much mental as is physical, his apMarch 19 - March 25, 2021

proach to the game has changed.

Growing up in a football atmosphere it is almost natural to look to NFL players as influences for an athletes own game. Tim Tebow was that for Ross as he was coming up and it just made it even better that they both come from the same hometown.

“He was just a guy that I foll owe d a n d loved watching g rowing up,” Ross said.

T h e Owls try to keep a “promindset” as if they were already playing in the professional league and this is what kind of helps him to be a leader of his team.

“I just try to approach it as if I were a pro,” Ross said. “We had this thing in 2019 where we had this pro mindset, so we just attack everything as if we were in the pros already,” He expressed that that is the main goal and objective for some of his teammates, himself included.

“Thinking of it more as a business and not just a game,” Ross said.”We do what we do because we love it and we have fun doing it but if you approach it as a pro you take it a lot more [seriously].

Ross will be spending most of his time on the field, closer to the line of scrimmage as an outside linebacker, but this wasn’t always the position he assumed. He played as a safety before his recent switch to his new position.

This game is a love for Ross including the positive and negative.

Times where he may even feel too tired and sore, he’s reminded of his why and that’s where his love for the game kicks in.

“When it gets tough and it gets hard you have to understand that you have a hundred other guys really counting on you to play your part and do your job,” Ross said.

Being reminded of the brotherhood and the closeness with his teammates helps to put things into perspective for him when things get tough.

“Attack the day with a positive mindset coming in ready to work, coming ready to grind and just being thankful for the opportunity to do what we do,” Ross said.

Sailfish Blow Past Panthers Into SSC Semifinal

The Palm Beach Atlantic women’s basketball team began what they hope will be a historic run through the Sunshine State Conference Tournament tonight as they hosted Florida Tech.

The Sailfish played their best half of the season to open the game and ran away from the Panthers on their way to a 73-50 victory and into the semifinals.

The Sailfish came out of the gates the more energized side, and it showed on the backboards where they dominated Florida Tech in the first quarter 19-9. The Sailfish collected seven of those rebounds on the offensive glass and turned them into extra scoring opportunities. Led by Alisa Marlow, five points, and Shekinah Guthrie who had an early six points and seven rebounds in the opening quarter, the ‘Fish jumped out to a 2111 lead. They shot 40 percent from the field while holding the Panthers to just 20 percent.

Guthrie was dominant once again in the second quarter, scoring 10 of her game-high 18 points. She made three consecutive mid-range jumpers to force a Panthers timeout as the Sailfish lead ballooned to 30-12. Sia Williams provided a nice spark off the bench as she five points in the quarter while going perfect from the field, and Maria Benitez-Zayas ran the offense effectively as she finished the game with nine points, six rebounds, and five assists. While the offense was humming along to a 27 point second

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quarter, the PBA defense was able to limit Florida Tech to just 15 points and take a controlling 48-26 halftime lead.

The Sailfish got scoring contributions for eight different players in the opening half led by Guthrie’s 16 but also support from Marlow’s eight points and seven points from BenitezZayas and Williams each. Williams added eight rebounds for the game as Guthrie pulled down 13 as she recorded another double-double. PBA was 16-for-34 from the field and was 6-of-10 from three in the first half.

The Sailfish coasted their way to the victory after building the large halftime lead. The lead was never cut below 14 points at any point in the third or fourth quarter as PBA kept the defensive energy that helped them build the lead as their red-hot offense came back to life. The ‘Fish still outscored the Panthers 25-24 in the second half as they went into their bench with the large lead. The Sailfish ended the game shooting 34 percent and 11-of-27 from three.

The Sailfish have now had two impressive performances in a row as they carry their momentum into their postseason run. Up next, they face a return trip to Rollins in the semifinals of the SSC Tournament. The Sailfish are coming off a 64-59 victory over the Tars just three days prior as the Sailfish look to continue their best run ever through the SSC Tournament.

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Edition 504 - 19

Sailfish Drop Doubleheader Against #3 Spartans The Palm Beach Atlantic baseball team returned home to wrap up a series with the Tampa Spartans this afternoon by playing a doubleheader at J.M. Jake Rubin Park. After falling in game one of the series in Tampa, the Sailfish dropped both legs of the set today against the number three ranked Spartans.

Game 1: PBA 4, Tampa 18 The trend of Sailfish starters struggling in their first inning of work continued as the Spartans greeted PBA Joey Hennessey with five runs in the first inning. Tampa but together five hits in the opening frame and capitalized on two free passes and an error.

The Sailfish offense was able to hit back against Spartans starter Braydon Nelson as Landen Morrison was able to take advantage of being hit by a pitch by scoring on a Brandon Seltzer sacrifice fly as the Sailfish offense scratched a run across in the bottom of the first. Unfortunately, the Spartans were able to score two more runs in the second and third innings to push their lead to 9-1 after three. Hennessey’s day ended after three-plus innings pitched, surrendering nine runs, seven earned while striking out two.

The Sailfish threatened in the home half of the fourth as Sean Houck and Dylan Tosto each singled and Jake Roper drew a walk, but the offense was able to score just one run on the bases-loaded situation as a Carlos Lara sac fly scored Houck. The game got out of hand in the top of the fifth when Tam-

pa scored eight runs. The Sailfish bullpen struggled to find the zone as they surrendered seven free passes in the inning. Jamil Vanheyningen was unable to get out of his second innings of work as he walked seven and gave up six runs. Five PBA pitchers came out of the bullpen to close out the game, including David Chenoweth and Ryan Webster who each pitched a clean inning in relief.

The Sailfish offense added one run in the fifth, Seltzer scoring after his double on a Trent Alley single, and one run in the seventh, Lara scoring after his leadoff double

on a Franklin Mundo Jr. single, but the game was in hand for the Spartans. The Spartans scored 18 runs on 16 hits and committed one error as their starter Nelson earned the win after four innings pitched. The Sailfish scored 4 runs on 11 hits and committed two errors while walking 15 batters.

Game 2: PBA 2, Tampa 11 The Sailfish handed the ball to Troy Klemm in game two of the doubleheader and he was overpowering at times throughout his outing. He struck out three batters in the first inning, but he also surrendered two runs on three hits. The Sailfish this time were able

to equalize in the bottom of the inning as Landen Morrison led off with a double and was brought home on a Robert Fabelo single. Aggressive PBA base running by Seltzer caused a throwing error as he stole third base which allowed him to score and tie the game.

The Spartans hit back with three runs in the top of the next inning to recapture the lead. Two of the runs were unearned off a Klemm error but the Sailfish offense went quiet after their initial threats as they didn’t record a hit after the first inning. Spartans pitcher Eric Linder had shaky command the first two innings as he walked four in the first two innings, but he settled in as he retired his last 13 batters faced as he went six innings and picked up the win. His counterpart Klemm was able to go 4.1 innings while giving up seven runs, five earned, and striking out seven.

Three Sailfish relief pitchers of Christian Horner, Brad VanAsdlen, and Ruiari Murphy each gave up a run in their bullpen outings as the Sailfish fell 11-2. The Spartans finished with 11 runs on 11 hits and committed one error, while the Sailfish scored two runs on two hits and committed three errors.

It was a tough draw for the Sailfish to open their season against the teams picked to finish in first and second in the conference.

They will hope for better results when they return to play against Saint Leo for a single game at home on March 18 and a doubleheader on the road on March 20.

Palm Beach State Women’s Palm Beach State Men’s Basketball Earns Conference Victory Over Miami Dade Basketball Outlasts DME Academy In what was a hard fought and highly contested game, PBSC women’s basketball prevailed 73-68 over hosting DME Academy.

Reagan Hune once again had an excellent game. Hune shot 50% from the field and led the team with 19 points. She also led the team with the most offensive boards -- 5.

Alyssa Herder and Caleese Ramirez each scored 12 points, which was tied for 2nd on the club. Ramirez did most of her damage from beyond the arc as she led her team with three 3-pointers. Herder made a

Men’s Basketball picks up their first conference win over Miami Dade.

Going into halftime, the team led by 6 points and never trailed from that point forward.

The Panthers received excellent performances from Bakari Simmons and Sophomore Phillip Smith. Simmons led the club with 17 points and Smith finished with 14. Smith had much of the hot shooting down the stretch as he converted on several contested shots when Sports

team-high 6 free throws.

The Panthers’ bench shot over 50% from the floor. Sade Bass and Una Steinharde combined to hit seven of ten shots and scored 15.

Kaziah Ross led the team with 9 assists.

Three players -- Alyssa Herder, Regan Hune, and Izzy Allen -- had 7 rebounds, which tied for 2nd on the team.

The Panthers are back at it Wednesday as they have a tough conference matchup against nationally ranked Indian River at 5:30 ET.

it mattered most. Khalil Turner earned a double-double with 10 points and 14 rebounds. 11 of his 14 boards were defensive. David Aphkhazava also joined the three other players with 10 points or more; Aphkhazava contributed 11 ponts whilst running the offense.

PBSC shot over 44% from the floor, which dwarfed Miami Dade’s output. The Panthers seemed to be a bit more careful with their shot selection, which contributed to the higher shooting percentage. www.bocaratontribune.com

March 19 - March 25, 2021