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JANUARY | 2018

Mickey Gomez retires after 33 years, New Rec. Director assumes the post By: Diane Emeott Korzen Contributing Writer “This is the greatest job. And the most fantastic place to work. I do feel like the luckiest person in the world, having had this job!” said beloved, City Of Boca Raton Recreation Services Director Mickey Gomez, who retired after 33 years with the city on Nov. 30. On Dec. 8, the City of Boca Raton officially announced the new Recreation Services Director as Michael J. Kalvort. Kalvort and Gomez both attended the Nov. 27 Greater Boca Raton Beach & Park District meeting in which Gomez bid the Board ‘farewell.’ Kalvort declined to have his picture taken at the meeting. “At the next meeting,” he said. “This is Mickey’s day.”

Pianists Estibaliz Gastesi and Márcio Bezerra perform at the Norton Museum of Art in West Palm Beach. Photo by Dale King.

Local doctor, pianists combine for climate talk, concert at Norton By: Dale King Contributing Writer If the level of carbon dioxide in the air were to increase, humans could still survive without serious harm, said scientist Dr. John Strasswimmer, a Palm Beach resident, dermatologist and a Mohs surgeon with offices in Delray Beach. But for Planet Earth, such a condition, he declared, would be “catastrophic.” The doctor, who is also a professor of dermatology at the Schmidt College of

Medicine at Florida Atlantic University at Boca Raton, offered his thoughts on global climate change as part of a recent talk and four-hand piano concert at the Norton Museum of Art in West Palm Beach. Pianists Estibaliz Gastesi and Márcio Bezerra – husband and wife – opened and closed the event by performing climate- and weather-related musical pieces. Márcio is an instructor at Bak Middle School for the Arts in West Palm Beach; Estibaliz is a teacher at Don Estridge Middle School in Boca

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“This is very emotional. This morning at 8:30 a.m., I told all the managers ‘goodbye,’ the City Manager, the Assistant City Manager, etc. Last night it was the Beach & Park District. I’m tearing up right now,” said Gomez on Nov. 28. Asked what he will miss most, and what he won’t miss too much, Gomez an-

[CONT. PG 2]

Raton. The program at the Norton was held in recognition of United Nations Climate Month. The U.N. has been encouraging these combination piano concerts and lectures -- a series called “ClimateKeys” – to offer a venue for non-confrontational discussion of global weather changes. Part 1 of the concert featured such melodies as “Ripple Marks” by Michael Lysight, “Sub Vesperum” by Fabio [CONT. PG 2]

Retiring Recreation Service Director Mickey Gomez visits with Ron Carr, Maintenance, in front of Sugar Sand Park Carousel. Photo by Diane Emeott Korzen.

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YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER | JANUARY 2018

Local doctor, pianists combine for climate talk, concert at Norton [FROM PG 1]

Terry Owens.

Mengozzi and “Adriadne’s Crown” by

They continued with songs such as “From the Faraway Nearby” by Charles Griffin and “Before Sleep” by Lola Perrin, founder of the ClimateKeys project. The performers concluded with “La Mer” (“The Sea”) by Claude Debussy. During a mid-concert break, Dr. Strasswimmer said excess carbon dioxide is “the cause of global warming.” He said the level of the gas in the atmosphere is increasing, the result, he said, of fossil fuel emissions. The CO2 problem would not be so bad, he noted, if forests and oceans which have helped offset the level of the gas were not being either cut down or tainted, since plants and seawater absorb carbon dioxide. The amount of carbon dioxide in the air should not exceed 4%. “But it has,” he said. “We have a big problem, and the world’s temperature is increasing.” To remedy the situation, the world’s population much reach “a consensus” with scientists. “We all believe in the scientific method. We trust scientists. We trusted them to cure cancer, and some cancers are now being cured.” To

From left, Dr. John Strasswimmer with pianists Estibaliz Gastesi and Dr. John Strasswimmer discusses global climate change during a comMárcio Bezerra at the Norton Museum of Art in West Palm Beach. bination lecture/concert at the Norton Museum of Art in West Palm Photo by Dale King. Beach. Photo by Dale King.

The doctor said fossil fuel companies are fighting to stop citizens and researchers from agreeing on the causes of global warming the way cigarette manufacturers battled early indications that smoking was harmful.

a photography exhibit that depicts how humans are directly and indirectly impacting the Earth. The display features works by Justin Brice Guariglia, who in 2015 and 2016, flew seven times with NASA to study how melting glaciers affect sea level rise. Strasswimmer said the photos also show how Greenland’s ice sheet has receded, and how villages have disappeared as a result.

The concert/lecture at the Norton Museum ties in with

Guariglia’s display runs through Jan. 7.

delay or deny such trust, he said, would be detrimental to the earth.

Mickey Gomez retires after 33 years, New Rec. Director assumes the post [FROM PG 1] swered the latter question as “Ironing my shirts for work.” He said he would most miss “all the great people I’ve had the opportunity to work with over the years, from the elected officials and residents, to the employees of Recreation Services and the City of Boca Raton.”

Louisiana ties

Did you know?

Gomez said he attended three different high schools: 9th grade in New York City, NY; 10th & 11th grade in Monterey, Mexico; and 12th grade in Bethesda, MD.

Gomez was born in New Orleans, LA but said he never really lived there. His parents were both from New Orleans. His dad taught at Louisiana State University (LSU) at the time, from which Mickey later graduated.

The Recreation Services Director role encompasses more than most residents realize. “I am responsible for 46 parks, two golf courses (Boca Municipal out west by the turnpike, and Alan Alford Red Reef Course), two libraries and their staff (Downtown Boca library and Spanish River Library), Boca Cemetery and Masoleum, and the Swim & Racquet Club,” explained Gomez. Regarding all of the change he has seen during his tenure on the job, Gomez said, “I really think things have changed for the better. The elected officials and residents have put a high priority on Parks & Recreation. “In 1984, when I started as Deputy Parks Director, (serving 9 ½ years before becoming Director), we only had a $6 million operating budget. We now have over a $50 million operating budget just for Recreation Services!” Gomez said he was hired by Tom Alexander, who had just moved from Deputy Director to Director, after the city’s first Recreation Director James Rutherford moved to City Manager. “In those days, it was just Recreation Ser-

New Boca Recreation Services Director Michael Kalvort. Photo courtesy of city of Boca Raton.

vices. Now they have added Parks and Facilities. What is now the Greater Boca Raton Beach & Park District was originally called the Beach Tax District. It was created to pay off beach bonds at Red Reef Park, and to develop and operate Red Reef Park, the oceanfront park. “In [1974], we asked the State Legislature if we could go beyond beaches. “That’s when they changed the name to the Greater Boca Raton Beach & Park District. [The District] purchased the 55-acre Patch Reef Park with a $1 million donation from Palm Beach County.

Through his father’s teaching opportunities (he was a Professor of Economics who specialized in Latin America), Mickey also attended the American School System in Lima, Peru and in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil during his growing up years. “My dad [also named Miguel] said I had to marry a New Orleans girl. And I did. I met my wife Bonnie [Randall] at college and we’ve been married for 42 years...”My roommate was her high school boyfriend. She and I were good friends for three years. We played tennis, went to bars. She said she’d better find a good husband. I invited her to New York City to see the ball drop. I remember she only brought sandals to wear on her feet [and the rest is history]...

“Beach & Park District Executive Director Arthur Koski has been there since Day 1. Chairman Robert Rollins, Jr. was on the Parks & Recreation Board when I started.

They now have a grown son who served in the Peace Corps, and a daughter who played soccer in the World Cup and Summer Olympics in Greece in 2004 and today lives in San Diego with her two kids.

It was he who reminded me in dealing with a particular employee situation, something my mother said too: ‘Listen to both sides and lead with your heart, for a good outcome for everyone.’”

Louisiana briefly summoned Mickey back after Hurricane Katrina. “My wife, all her family is there. My parents had moved back; they lost everything in Katrina. I went there looking for them. For four or five days, there

was no word from them; just what was on the TV news; it was horrible. My sister called me up and said, ‘You have to go look for them.’ One of the former Boca Council Members Peter Baronoff, who had a hospital, was sending a bunch of nurses down there. ‘If you want to go to Baton Rouge, the plane is leaving in two hours,’ I was told. Also, after some days, Susan Haynie’s husband Neil was going to fly me down. My son was just coming home from the Peace Corps in Africa. He and I flew down to Baton Rouge and looked for my parents. Nothing. A couple days later, I got a call from a nurse in San Antonio, TX, where they had just arrived… “They were really pretty beaten up [when we got to San Antonio]. They were thinner and wearing handme-down clothes,” Gomez recalled. Michael Kalvort New City of Boca Raton Recreation Services Director Michael J. Kalvort, CPRE, began his career in Broward County and also worked on Florida’s west coast. He most recently served as Parks & Recreation Director for Virginia Beach, VA, and brings 25 years of industry experience to the role. From Gomez, Kalvort will inherit management and supervision of the city’s 46 parks, 2 miles of public beaches and approximately 800 department employees. The Recreation Services Department manages the city’s beautification and irrigation division, two libraries, two golf courses, tennis, aquatics, athletic programs and fields, community center programs, classes and special events.

JANUARY 2018 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

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YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER | JANUARY 2018

Boca West Children’s Foundation and Boys & Girls Club make holiday dreams come true for 200 area youngsters

By: Dale King Contributing Writer A couple of hundred children from Boca Raton and surrounding communities are beginning 2018 with new clothing, sneakers, snuggly sleepwear, toys and other holiday gifts, thanks to the generous work of the Boca West Children’s Foundation and their partners at the Boys & Girls Club of Palm Beach County. The organizations came together just before Christmas to make sure needy children could enjoy a shopping spree followed by a Christmas breakfast at Boca West Country Club. When the celebrating was done, they left with a gift, a “Snuggie Tail” manufactured by a company owned by board member Howard Boilen and all the fixin’s for a holiday dinner. Following an early morning of shopping and a breakfast brunch that included chocolate waffles, juices, jellies and 120 pounds of bacon, each child returned home with a toy from Santa and a “Snuggie Tail” as well as a food basket filled with a turkey, a ham and fresh vegetables for their holiday meal. Characters from the movie, “Madagascar,” entertained the children during the breakfast.

“Some of these children have never had new clothing, just hand-me-downs,” said board member Arthur Adler, who’s in charge of the event. After shopping, the kids were transported by bus to Boca West Country Club where they enjoyed a “Beach Party Breakfast” and holiday activities. The pre-holiday festivity began with the Boys & Girls Club chapter in Boca Raton. “We wanted to do more to get others involved in Palm Beach County,” said Adler. So this year, the invite went out to kids in Belle Glade, Pahokee, Riviera Beach, Delray Beach and Boca Raton. Traditionally, youngsters received $50 to spend at Old Navy, but this year, “the board decided to increase it to $75. Old Navy helped out by dropping some of their prices.”

Boca West Children’s Foundation volunteers were up early to meet the kids when they arrived at 6:30 a.m. “We brought a refrigerated truck with hams, turkeys and fresh vegetables for their holiday dinner,” said Adler. “We had a huge stop clock and each year, the volunteers try to better their record. This year, they finished their work in 21 minutes.”

Jakorie Cooper shopping at Old Navy during Boca Kira Garcia, London McQueen and Ciara Garcia West Children’s Foundation Christmas event. Sub- meet with Santa during Boca West Children’s Founmitted photo. dation Christmas event. Submitted photo.

David Leonard meets with one of the beaked characters during the Boca West Children’s Foundation Members of the Boys & Girls Club are greeted by Breakfast for members of the Boys & Girls Club. Sub- penguins during the Boca West Children’s Foundation Breakfast. Submitted photo. mitted photo.

and looked around and said, ‘Am I in a dream?’ This led us to create the Dream Makers.”

ing, for a health center at Florence Fuller Child Development Center. Every program is funded by us.”

During the past seven years, said Adler, the Boca West Children’s Foundation has distributed more than $5 million to 25 children’s assistance organizations. “We are the United Way of children’s charities.” “We give money for pediatric cardiology, to an abuse shelter at JAFCO, for mentor-

The Boca West Children’s Foundation was launched in November of 2010. Adler said it came about as a desire by the thousands of members of the Boca West Country Club to give back to Boca Raton and the South Palm Beach County communities. The Foundation’s mission is to identify and fund projects to assist children and their families in need.

Fifth Annual Voice Awards luncheon returns

in the following categories:

Raton’s Promise, Specialist/Trainer

Peer Education: Peter Davey, Lead Peer Specialist, NAMI-Palm Beach County

Counseling: Michael C. Kane, Ph.D, School District of Palm Beach County

The fifth annual Voice Awards Luncheon returns this month.

Student Leadership: Dennis Estimon, We Dine Together, Boca Raton High School

Leadership: Cindy Wides, Director, Community Outreach, Mental Health First Aid County Coalition

Organization: Pamela Frazier, West Palm Beach Mental Health Coalition

Implementation: Lauren Zuchman, Project Director, Healthier Delray Beach

Communications: Ed Frontera, Boca

Tickets cost $70 at bocaratonpromise.org

The event was the eighth annual holiday shopping trip for 200 area kids age 6 to 13 who visited the Old Navy store in Shadowood Square in West Boca. Each child received a $75 gift card and instructions to purchase clothing for themselves.

Staff report

Join a cross-section of the Palm Beach County community to celebrate at the high powered, inspiring and healing callto-action program presented by Boca Raton’s Promise and its affiliate, the Palm

He noted that the Boca West folk have created a society called the “Dream Makers,” which includes the major contributors to the event. “A year ago, one of the board members brought in a young lady

Beach County Action Alliance for Mental Health on Tuesday, Jan. 23 at 11:30 a.m. at Broken Sound Club, 2401 Willow Springs Drive. The event recognizes efforts made by community leaders to break the silence on mental illness. The 2017 Voice Awards will be presented

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JANUARY 2018 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

things to know this January in Boca Raton

1 The 9th Annual HotWorks.org Boca

Raton Fine Art Show returns on Jan. 27 and 28 to Sanborn Square. Check out 135 juried artists during the fire art and craft show. The show is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

2 The Oaks at Boca Raton is hosting its 14th Annual Touch a Heart Foundation Charity Event Spa Day on Jan. 29. Spend the day relaxing, shopping, eating and getting spa services like massages, facials, manicures and hair and makeup applications. Guests will enjoy fitness classes, raffles and a silent auction. 3 The SYMPHONIA Boca Raton’s Connoisseur Concert Series continues on Jan. 7 at 3 p.m. at the Roberts Theater at Saint Andrew’s School, 3900 Jog Road. The show features guest conductor and violin soloist David Kim. 4 The Parkinson’s Foundation of South

Palm Beach County is hosting “Rock the Runway,” an evening of fashion and fun at 6:30 p.m. on Jan. 19 at Boca Rio Golf Club. Tickets are $175 per person. To purchase tickets, visit http://parkinson. org/southpalmbeachcounty, call 561962-1702 or email Rmilller@parkinson. org.

5 Cabaret comes to Lynn University this month when Mabel Mercer Foundation’s Cabaret at Lincoln Center comes to the Live at Lynn series. Five of Manhattan’s leading cabaret shows will be presented on Wednesday nights, once a month through May, in Lynn’s Amarnick-Goldstein Concert Hall. Season tickets are available at $150, with individual concert tickets only $40. The first show is Sidney Myer: Live on Jan. 17 at 7:30 p.m. 6 Get tickets to Bloodshot at the Mizner Park Cultural Center. The show runs from Jan. 24-Feb. 18. Set in 1957 London, this suspenseful noir mystery follows a photographer who’s been hired to follow and snap pictures of a beauti-

Boca Briefs

hurricane expenses in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma.

Junior League sends diapers to Puerto Rico

For more information on the JLBR Diaper Bank including how to host a diaper drive please visit https://www. jlbr.org/impact/ community-diaper-bank/

bound for Puerto Rico.

The Junior League of Boca Raton filled a third airplane with donated diapers and food

The Soap Myth heads to Boca

Partnering with Puerto Rico Relief Flight, JLBR was able to send 3,720 diapers, 2,006 baby wipes, 105 cans of sunscreen and 582 pounds of food to the island to benefit victims of Hurricane Maria. This recent donation is in addition to the approximately 3,000 adult diapers, 172,800 baby wipes, and 32,000 baby diapers JLBR sent previously on a private plane coordinated with assistance from the Junior League of the Palm Beaches, and a Goodwill cargo plane arranged by The United Way.

Seven time Emmy Award-winner Ed Asner and three time Emmy Award and Tony Award-nominee Kate Burton will star in a two-week East Coast tour of concert readings of Jeff Cohen’s play The Soap Myth.

The JLBR Diaper Bank distributes approximately 140,000 diapers every other month to local nonprofit agencies, and diapers well over 800 babies per month.

The readings, which will be directed by Pam Berlin and will also feature Ned Eisenberg & Blair Baker, will serve as a tribute to International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

In addition to sending aid to Puerto Rico, the JLBR Diaper Bank also provided 2,000 diapers to the Florida Keys and members delivered 1,000 diapers to Belle Glades in northern Palm Beach County. Families in both areas were hit particularly hard with

The tour heads to the The Adolph and Rose Levis JCC, Zinman Hall, 9901 Donna Klein Blvd. on Jan. 23. Visit levisjcc.org for more information and ticket prices.

ful showgirl. After witnessing her murder, he shifts to finding her killer, leading him through a labyrinth of suspects, including a suspicious hustler, a nefarious magician, and a saxophone player with something to hide. Tickets are $28-$66.

7 Spend the first day of the new year doing “Something Big 2018.” The free, outdoor yoga event presented by Yoga Journey is in its fourth year. Join your neighbors and yoga lovers for a free mega class led by Boca resident and yoga instructor Leslie Glickman with international recording articles DJ Drez and Marti Nikko. The event begins at 11 a.m. on Jan. 1 at Mizner Park Amphitheater. Visit https://www.somethingbig2018. com for more information. 8 Want to send your child to a choice school? The application deadline is Jan. 26. There are more than 300 Choice Programs and Career Academies at 117

different Palm Beach County School District schools. Parents can complete the online application at www.palmbeachschools.org/choiceprograms

9 The Winter Children’s Fair is headed to Patch Reef Park from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Jan. 3. Entrance to the park is free. Ride tickets for $5 per ride or $20 for unlimited rides. The event is geared toward kids ages 2-12. For more information, contact Patch Reef Park Community Center 561-367-7035. 10 The city of Boca Raton is hosting Shakespeare in the Park- Hamlet on Jan. 5-7 at Mizner Park Amphitheater. Shakespeare Miami brings Hamlet for its sophomore performance. Director, Colleen Stovall’s take on the 400+ year old play will stick to the script, but will contain some surprises. Be sure to pack a blanket and chairs for this dreamy night of theatre under the stars. On Friday and Saturday the show begins at 8 p.m. and on Sunday at 6 p.m. Doors open an hour before the show.

YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER | JANUARY 2018

CEO of Shaner Hotel Group, Boca resident Lance T. Shaner 1 Tell us about yourself and how you got into the hotel industry.

yond, spanning a number of brands such as Marriott, Intercontinental, Hilton and Choice Hotels, as well as independent properties. Locally in Florida, we will be opening an Autograph Collection hotel in Sarasota and a Fairfield Inn in Daytona Beach. We will also be opening other hotels in Pennsylvania and Ohio. On an international level, we are expanding our French Leave Resort in Eleuthera by adding two brand new villas, bringing the total count to 14, and opening another Autograph Collection hotel in the heart of Lucca, Italy.

As a Western New Yorker and after graduating as a history major from Alfred University, I became involved with smaller properties until I acquired in 1983, a Sheraton hotel close to Niagara Falls. Since then, I have owned, developed and managed over 80 hotels. To say it’s been the greatest adventure is an understatement.

4 What is the most rewarding part of being in the hospitality industry?

2 Shaner Hotels recently received recognition from

Conde Nast Traveler. Tell us about that and what it means.

Three of our hotels were among the winners in the magazine’s 2017 Readers Choice Awards. Playa Largo Resort & Spa was voted the #1 resort in the Florida Keys. This property debuted just last year as the first full-service hotel to open in the Upper Keys in 21 years. It’s an amazing destination, especially for South Floridians who are just a short drive away from Key Largo. The Renaissance Tuscany Il Ciocco Resort & Spa in Barga, Italy ranked #8 in all of Europe. It’s located in Tuscany’s Serchio Valley, in a very remote and authentic part of the country, with some of the region’s most beautiful views. Our French Leave

Resort in Eleuthera, home to The Bahamas’ pink sand beaches, was voted the #2 hotel in its category. We are really proud of this recognition, which is a direct result of our unique hotel and resort products and experiences, and our constant efforts to provide the best service to our customers in every market. The awards are a reflection of the great Shaner teams that operate our hotels.

Over the past 35 years, being in the hospitality industry has been rewarding in meeting and learning something new from people all over the world. It’s also very gratifying to be able to have an impact on local communities through job creation and charitable initiatives.

3 What are some of the hotels in your portfolio and

Since moving to Boca eight years ago, it has given me the ability to expand our southwestern portfolio and enjoy the quality of life that Boca presents, which includes perfect weather for tennis, biking and fishing.

what is in the pipeline for this year?

We have properties in fourteen states within the US and be-

5 Why did you choose to call Boca Raton home?

Boca Raton Building Department participates in program to help lower insurance premiums Staff report

The Boca Raton Building Department is

HYATT PLACE

Nown Ope

helping to lower insurance premiums for businesses and residents by participating in a program offered by the Insurance Services Office. ISO provides insurance underwriters with information about the quality of construction and life safety aspects of buildings and structures. The Building Code Effectiveness Grading Schedule (BCEGS) is a program administered by the ISO, which measures a community’s commitment to a robust and credible building code program by providing a score. The Boca Raton Building Department recently participated in the program and received its first BCEGS scores, which may have a positive effect on insurance rates by lowering premiums for newly constructed buildings and renovated buildings. The program assigns a classification score between 1 and 10 to each commu-

Please call

561-672-7819 to book your stay.

Daily Happy Hour Specials to include live entertainment on Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday nights.

nity that participates, a 1 being exemplary enforcement. Factors included in the BCEGS classification score include the type of government, natural hazards specific to the jurisdiction, average assessed building values, number of permits issued, number of inspections performed daily, building and fire code adoption and qualifications of building code enforcement staff. The City of Boca Raton has been awarded a BCEGS score of 3 for commercial buildings and 4 for 1 & 2 family dwellings. The (BCEGS) applies to hurricane, wind damage, construction durability and safety. Now that the City of Boca Raton has participated in the program and has a score, the ISO will report the score to the insurance industry and it may be used to calculate the insurance rates for the community. The scores will have a positive effect on insurance rates by lowering premiums for newly constructed buildings and renovated buildings.

LIFE

JANUARY 2018 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

Delray Beach Fashion Week returns for fifth year Staff report Catch models strutting local runways when the Delray Beach Fashion Week returns for the fifth year this month. The latest styles from 36 retailers and 12 hair salons will be on display on 80 models during four downtown runway shows from Jan. 24-28. This year, purchase a VIP pass for $165 that will secure you a front row reserved seat at all runways shows, receptions, luncheon and a signature Amanda Perna tote with swag from downtown merchants. Runway show reserved seats range from $25-$50. Proceeds benefit Delray nonprofits the Achievement Centers and Arts Garage. In addition to the shows, the sixth annual Vince Canning Stiletto Race will return and there will be a Delray Beach Fashion Week Boutique Shopping Event.

and Repeat, Live Entertainment from Fred Astaire Delray Beach Champion Dancers and Achievement Centers Dance Team and more Ticket: $30 per seat for runway seating benefiting the Achievement Centers for Children and Families, free to stand and watch

Events details will be updated on www.DelrayFashionWeek.com Wed., Jan 24 6-10 p.m. An Evening Downtown Evening Wear Runway Show Location: The Colony Hotel, 525 E

Location: CHE!!! Restaurant, 900 E Atlantic Avenue Tickets: $40 to include lunch and the show; Benefiting Achievement Centers for Children and Families

6-8 p.m.:Live jazz entertainment; Artist on display, Silent Auction, Beauty Bar

11:30 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.: Entertainment, Lunch, Raffle

8 p.m. show: Evening Wear

Emcee: Suzanne Boyd, WPEC CBS 12 Morning Anchor and Delray Beach resident

Emcee: Amanda Perna Recommended attire: Cocktail Attire

12:30 p.m. - Fashion Show to begin

Thursday, Jan. 25

Following the event – shopping Downtown!

7-10 p.m.

Recommended attire: Resort wear

Delray on the Runway Designer Fashion Show & Hair Show

5:30-7:30 p.m. 6th Annual Vince Canning Stiletto Race Location: Old School Square Pavilion and Park, NE 2nd Avenue

“We are thrilled to be hosting this award-winning and special event again this year, ” said Laura Simon, Executive Director, DDA. “Delray Beach Fashion Week is a unique, fun and all-encompassing opportunity to share with our local residents and visitors the fashion and beauty that is found right here in Downtown Delray Beach.” There is a “Chance to Win” Downtown Delray Beach Package valued at $500 which also benefits the Achievement Centers for Children & Families. Receive one “Chance” with each VIP Pass or runway seating ticket purchased. Additional Chances to Win will be available at each runway show for $5 per chance or $10 for three chances.

Tropical Paradise Luncheon & Fashion Show

Costs: $25 entry fee per runner; ($35 day of the race) Benefiting the Achievement Centers for Children and Families Produced by the ACCF Sat., Jan. 27 7-9 p.m. Swim & Surf Runway Show

INSIDE

Palm Beach County

Location: Old School Square Park, NE 2nd Avenue Location: ARTS GARAGE, 94 NE 2nd Avenue, Delray Beach Ticketed Event $50 per person benefiting the Arts Garage Art and Education Programs for Children Ticket includes: Reception (2 drinks and passed apps) silent auction and Fashion Show

Tickets: $25 per seat for runway seating – benefiting the Achievement Centers for Children and Families, free to stand and watch Theme: Celebrate the tropics Emcee: Suzanne Boyd, WPEC CBS 12 Morning Anchor and Delray Beach resident 7-8 p.m.: Fun Music, Beach games, vendor tables

Theme: Shades of Blue – blues music & attendees encouraged to wear blue

8 p.m.: Swim Wear Runway Fashion Show

7-8 p.m. Reception and Entertainment

8:45 p.m.: Thank you ceremony and final walk

8 p.m. – Designer Runway Show and Hair Show

Recommended attire: Tropical

9 p.m.: Entertainment and Meet the Designer post reception

1-4 p.m.

Emcee: Amanda Perna

Youth learn violin [12]

Sun., Jan. 28

Delray Beach Fashion Week Boutique

Atlantic Avenue

Recommended attire: Creative, blue cocktail attire

Ticketed runway seating, Downtown Merchant Tent, Red Carpet – Step

Friday, Jan. 26,

Location: Old School Square Fieldhouse, 51 N Swinton Avenue (entrance off of NE 1st Avenue),

11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

Cost: Free to attend

Take 5 for yourself [16]

YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER | JANUARY 2018

Don’t miss events 1 The Palm Beach Photographic Centre is hosting the 23rd Annual FOTOfusion event from Jan. 2327. FOTOfusion will spotlight legendary photographer Howard Schatz, whose iconic advertising images and celebrity portraits have been exhibited in museums and photography galleries internationally and are included in innumerable private collections. A special exhibition of pictures by Howard Schatz, covering a quarter-century of photographic projects, will open at the Photo Centre on Wednesday, Jan. 24, and run through Sunday, March 10. The public is invited to the free opening night reception on Thursday, Jan. 25, from 6 to 8 p.m. 2 Vegans can head to the Palm Beach

Veg Fest on Jan. 20 at Mizner Park Amphitheater. The event is free and open to the public. There will be games, vegan treats and vendors. Visit pbvegfest.com for more information.

3 The Kravis Center presents “Night of Stars” A Broadway Celebration on Jan. 12 at 7 p.m. The event features stars Angela Lansbury (Oscar, Tony, Emmy Award Winner); Brian Stokes Mitchell (Tony Award Winner); Chita Rivera (Two-time Tony Award Winner); Kate Davis (Genre-defying Singer Hailed by MTV); Nova Payton (Helen Hayes Award Recipient); Bria Skonberg (Canadian Singer and Trumpeter); Claybourne Elder (Broadway’s Sunday in the Park with George);

Luke Frazier, Conductor; and the Kravis Center Pops Orchestra. Tickets start at $50. A cocktail reception followed by the star-studded performance with dinner and dancing costs $1,000 per person.

4 The Delray Beach Playhouse is debuting a Cabaret Series. The series begins on Jan 5-6 at 8 p.m. with Avery Sommers “For Sentimental Reasons.” The show features 25 of her favorite songs and sentimental hits like “Can’t Buy Me Love,” “Gentle On My Mind,” “Love Will Keep Us Together,” “Proud Mary,” “Breaking Up is Hard To Do,” “I Will Survive.” On Jan. 20 at 8 p.m. check out Jill & Rich Switzer and “The Supper Club Radio Hour.” Tickets cost between $30-40.

5 The Donald M. Ephraim Palm Beach Jewish Film Festival returns on Jan. 18. The 28th annual festival opens with a special screening of Body & Soul: An American Bridge, live entertainment by singers Jill & Rich and an after-screening dessert reception at AMC CityPlace 20 in West Palm Beach. The festival presents dozens of memorable movies at six different movie theaters throughout Palm Beach County, including the Cinemark Palace 20 in Boca Raton, Jan. 20-26; CityPlace 20 in West Palm Beach, Jan. 22-26; PGA Arts Center in Palm Beach Gardens, Jan. 27-Feb. 3; Cobb Theatres in Palm Beach Gardens, Jan. 28-Feb. 2; CMX Cinemas (formerly Paragon Theaters) in Wellington, Feb. 4-8; and the Frank Theatres CineBowl & Grille in Delray Beach,

Feb, 4-10. Presented by the Mandel Jewish Community Center of the Palm Beaches, the festival closes on Feb. 11 with a matinee and awards presentation at the CityPlace 20.

6 Johns Hopkins Medicine is hosting “A Woman’s Journey” health conference on Jan. 25 at 9 a.m. at the Palm Beach County Convention Center. The conference will provide information about critical issues affecting women. The oneday event will offer classes led by Johns Hopkins physicians with breakfast and luncheon keynotes. Tickets cost $165 per person or $2,500 per table. Visit http:// hopkinsmedicine.org/awomansjourney for more information. 7 Head to Spady Museum to this month to check out a new exhibit that explores the current state of discrimination and disparity from a Floridian Perspective, “Discrimination and Disparity: Relentlessly Persisting.” Through Feb. 28, the exhibit showcases how artists depict today’s conversations, arguments and clashes on race and identification. 8 Middle East affairs, national security, medical breakthroughs and progress in brain science will be the topics discussed at the Annual Leadership Education Forum (ALEF), present-

ed by American Friends of the Hebrew University. Experts from the Hebrew University (HU) and other leading individuals will discuss a variety of vital issues Sunday, Jan. 4, at the Four Seasons Resort in Palm Beach. Ambassador Daniel Kurtzer will deliver the keynote address, “Fork in the Road: Challenges Facing Israel and the United States in the Middle East.” The conference costs $180 and includes breakfast, lunch and full conference attendance.

9 Sunshine Music Festival heads to Mizner Park Amphitheater on Jan. 14 at 1 p.m. Presented by Live Nation, the show features Tedeschi Trucks Band, Mike Gordon, Medeski Martin & Wood, Galactic and Hot Tuna. Tickets are on sale from TicketMaster. 10 Create Your Best Life 2018 takes place on Jan. 20-21 at Cendyn Spaces, 980 N. Federal Highway. The two-day event takes places from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and features all types of guest speakers like Cary Caster founder of 21 Drops, Carmel Baronoff host of her own national TV show, and Marcela Topf a mental health therapist. Visit createyourbestlife2018.com for more information and to purchase tickets.

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JANUARY 2018 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

January Calendar

sored by Northern Trust. Delgado is known for his deep-sea explorations -- from mapping of the Titanic wreck site, to the discoveries of Carpathia, the ship that rescued Titanic’ s survivors, and the notorious “ghost ship” Mary Celeste, among several others.

Old School Square Crest Theatre The Capitol Steps Pitol Steps, Wed. & Thurs., Jan. 3 & 4 at 8 p.m.

Cornell Art Museum Spotlights Vicki Siegel for Art Walk

Political satire straight from the headlines. This ever-popular ensemble delivers a night of sheer laughter! 12 & 13, 8 p.m.; Sun., Jan. 14, 2 & 7 p.m. This hilarious musical parody, staged to classic tunes from the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s, will have you cheering and dancing in the aisles. See what millions of women worldwide have been laughing about for 16 years! Jason Bishop Show Sat., Jan. 6, 2 & 8 p.m.; Sun., January , 2 p.m. From his breathtaking Double Levitation to his cutting-edge Op-Art and Plasma illusions, Jason Bishop features stunning and original state of the art magic in a show that’s surprisingly funny and truly magical. Pop music and audience participation round out this unforgettable performance! Menopause the Musical, Fri. & Sat., Jan.

Robert D. Chapin Lecture Series presents Dr. James Delgado, Undersea Adventurer, Thurs., Jan. 25, 2 p.m. Spon-

Friday, Jan. 5, 6-9 p.m. – Spotlight Gallery showcase of new works by Vicki Siegel. Vicki Siegel’s work combines painting and photography to create images that are both real and imaginary. Her work is contemporary and cutting edge, uniting her fascination with the world around her with her passion for the physicality of painting. Working in multiple layers, her work is rich in imagery and meaning. Also on view: “Looking Glass” through Feb. 25 -- Come see yourself in the art! Art selfies are encouraged. Hours: Tuesday-Saturday, 10 am-5 pm; Sunday, 1-5 pm. Closed Mondays and holidays. Admission: $8 (general); $5 (seniors 65+ and students with ID). Free admission for children under 12, Old School Square members and Veterans. Free admission for Florida residents on Sunday.

Old School Square Pavilion presents Free Friday Concerts through Jan. 26 Friday, 7:30 p.m.; free admission; weather permitting; bring lawn chairs, and bring the family, but no pets or outside food and beverage. Food and beverages available for purchase. Sponsored by Capital One Café. Jan. 5 – Tony Succar & The Mixtura Band - Latin Jan. 12 – The Kinected – Pop/Electro/ Indie Rock Jan. 19 – Artikal Sound System – Reggae/R&B Jan. 26 – B Street Band – Bruce Springsteen Tribute Crest Theatre 2018 Cabaret Series, Jan. 8 &9 Santino Fontana with Guest Star Jessica Fontana, Mon. & Tues., Jan. 8-9 at 8 p.m. Don’t miss this opportunity to see the Broadway stars of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s CINDERELLA as they open the 22nd season of the Crest Theatre’s popular Cabaret Series. MusicWorks Opens Folk & Rock Concert Series, Jan. 24 Jimmy Webb, Wed., Jan. 24, 8 p.m. --

February 23 – March 4, 2018

Mizner Park

February 23 • 7:30 pm

February 26 • 7:00 pm

March 2 • 7:30 pm

March 4 • 6:00 pm

Kathleen Battle Legendary Soprano

Richard Haass Author and President, Council on Foreign Relations

Bill Murray, Jan Vogler & Friends “New Worlds” Music, Poetry and Prose

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial Film with The SYMPHONIA TM & © Universal Studios

Also featuring: Itzhak Perlman, A Klezmer Celebration; Hannah Tinti, Award Winning Author; Grupo Compay Segundo, Iconic Band from Havana; Peter Diamandis,Founder of the X Prize; T Bone Burnett,Oscar and Grammy Winner; Chad Hoopes,Violin; Nikolay Khozyainov, Piano; James Marshall,Documentary Film Producer; E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial,Film with Live Orchestra.

FOR TICKETS VISIT: FEST IVALBOCA.ORG OR CALL 866-571-2787

Sponsored in part by the Board of County Commissioners, the Tourist Development Council and the Cultural Council of Palm Beach County

YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER | JANUARY 2018

American songwriter, composer, singer and the only artist ever to have received GRAMMY Awards for music, lyrics and orchestration. His mega hits include Up, Up and Away, By the Time I Get to Phoenix, Wichita Lineman, Galveston, All I Know and MacArthur Park, among many others!

Martin Sexton, Wed., Jan. 31, 8 p.m. – This American singer-songwriter and has released nine studio albums blending soul, gospel, country, rock, blues, and R&B. He is known for his wide vocal range and dynamic live performances and has been hailed by Billboard as “the real thing…”

Check out the Creative Arts School’s Classes and Workshops! Discover and expand your creative side during Winter Terms, January-April! If you love art, choose from drawing, painting, mixed media, glass and Open Studio classes or try an art workshop. If you love photography, discover the “art of seeing” with intro to digital camera classes, beginner/ intermediate/advanced fine art photography, nature and seascape photography and workshops in street photography, image transfer and iPhoneography! If you love writing, become a part of The Writers’ Colony through classes in fiction and memoir writing. Seminars and workshops focus on the publishing experience, character development and uncovering your “creative self.” Open Readings take place on the 2nd Thursday each month, 6:30-8:30 p.m.

RRazz Room at Mizner Park Cultural Center

ing.

$42.50 / $37.50 / $32.50

Location: Keith C. and Elaine Johnson Wold Performing Arts Center Tickets: $70 for box, $55 for orchestra and $50 for mezzanine

Spady Museum Celebrate 96 Years with The Legendary Marty Allen & Karon Kate Blackwell

Black Movie Experience (BMX) – “Selma”

Saturday, Jan. 13 at 7:30 p.m.

1-4 p.m.

Marty Allen is living proof that talent is ageless. The self-proclaimed “love child” of Phyllis Diller and Jackie Mason wastes no time in getting the audience laughing to the point of tears. Join us in celebrating Marty Allen’s upcoming 96th birthday along with the very talented Karon Kate Blackwell!

Saturday, Jan. 6

$60.00 / $50.00 / $40.00

$10 per person suggested donation; free for Members Location: At the Spady Museum Make your movie-going more cultural at BMX, Black Movie Experience. Every first Saturday from 1-4 p.m. enjoy culturally curated films in the Williams Cottage. Free movies and free snacks for Museum Members. Limited seating; RSVPs are required. Ride and Remember Trolley Tour 10 a.m.-noon Saturday, Jan. 13

Catch A Rising Star Comedy Series Jan. 27 New York Comedy Night with JESSICA KIRSON and REGINA DECICCO, Sat., January 27th, 8 p.m. Stand-up comedy is back at the Crest Theatre with four nights of great comedy from January to April. Jessica has worked with Robert DeNiro and has over 3 million YouTube podcast hits. Regina has been featured on Fox and AXS TV.

Jackie “The Joke Man” Martling Saturday, Jan. 6, at 7:30 p.m. He’s lewd, crude, obnoxious and one of the funniest guys you will ever enjoy. Jackie’s no holds barred style has earned him a loyal following in clubs and from his years on The Howard Stern Show (1986-2001) and his appearance in the hit comedy documentary “The Aristocrats.” He can currently be heard on Sirius Satellite Radio hosting Jackie’s Joke Hunt on Howard 101. Welcome in 2018 with a true comedy original!

Clint Holmes

$25 per person

Sunday, January 14, at 7 p.m.

Climb aboard The Spady Cultural Heritage Museum’s popular, monthly “Ride & Remember” Trolley Tour and enjoy the interactive, personalized stories of Delray Beach’s interesting origins and development.

Clint Holmes is more than just a remarkable singer. He is a consummate entertainer, performer, recording artist, and one of the country’s finest vocalists. Whether he is singing selections from the Great American Songbook, contemporary classics, or stirring original pieces, every performance is a one-ofa-kind, mesmerizing and unforgettable experience. His new release titled “Rendezvous” is a star-studded collective produced by eight-time GRAMMY winner, Gregg Field. $62.50 / $50.00 / $40.00 Libby Dodson’s Live at Lynn Theatre Series

15% OFF

Celebration Ice

Jan. 6–7 Saturday: p.m.

Monday – Friday 8am – 5:30pm Saturday 8am to 1pm Closed Sundays

Jan. 11 Roberta Rust in Recital Lynn piano professor and piano department head Roberta Rust performs a solo piano recital. Thursday: 7:30 p.m. Location: Count and Countess de Hoernle International Center / Amarnick-Goldstein Concert Hall Tickets: $20

7:30

Sunday: 4 p.m. Announcing our New West Delray Location. 14451 S. Military Trail #2 (across from the Boys) 561-865-7636

Lynn University’s Conservatory of Music

This magical winter wonderland combines the beauty and athleticism of figure skating with the wonder and excitement of a theatrical production. This variety ice show features dazzling costumes, high-energy music and world-class skat-

Jan. 13 The Roger Voisin Memorial Trumpet Competition Opening Ceremony & Competition Semifinal Round After a brief welcome and introduction of our semifinalists, they will compete for a chance to advance to the final round by

JANUARY 2018 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

performing mini trumpet and piano recitals for our judges. This round will open to the public. Saturday: 2 p.m. Location: Keith C. and Elaine Johnson Wold Performing Arts Center

appearances by members of the competition jury. Sunday: 2 p.m. Location: Keith C. and Elaine Johnson Wold Performing Arts Center

Tickets: FREE (Reservations required)

Tickets: FREE (No reservations required)

Jan. 13

Jan. 14

The Roger Voisin Memorial Trumpet Competition

Judges Recital

Competition Final Round & Closing Ceremony

Jan. 19

Jan. 21

12th Annual New Music Festival

Spotlight No. 1: Young Composers

Spotlight No. 2: Music of Scott Wheeler

A platform for world premieres! Witness the birth of music as it is first performed. This will be Lynn’s 100th world premiere, featuring the works of our composition majors, with the music performed by the composers and their peers.

Sunday: 4 p.m.

Friday: 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 24

Location: Count and Countess de Hoernle International Center / Amarnick-Goldstein Concert Hall

Piano Master Class with Leon Fleisher

Location: Count and Countess de Hoernle International Center / Amarnick-Goldstein Concert Hall Tickets: FREE

Come listen to the composer in residence discuss contemporary style and his music as performed by Conservatory students.

As a recipient of the Kennedy Center Honors in 2007, pianist Leon Fleisher was recognized as a “consummate musician whose career is a testament to the life-affirming power of art.” In 2018, he will be celebrating 90 years and continues his teaching at the Peabody Conservatory with an international schedule of master classes, performances and orchestral guest conducting. Select Lynn Conservatory students will perform for Fleisher’s master class.

Saturday: 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday: 7 p.m.

Trumpet Master Class with Marc Reese

Location: Keith C. and Elaine Johnson Wold Performing Arts Center

Location: Count and Countess de Hoernle International Center / Amarnick-Goldstein Concert Hall

This master class includes special guest

Tickets: FREE (Reservations required)

Tickets: FREE

Lynn’s world-renowned judges present a program of works for trumpet and piano, including the 2018 Commissioned work by James Stephenson III. Competition finalists will be announced.

Tickets: FREE (Reservations required)

Competitors face off in their final attempt to sway the judges in their favor. This round will be open to the public and feature the finalists as soloists with Lynn’s critically acclaimed Philharmonia. An Awards Ceremony and reception will be held immediately following the final performance. Prizes: 1st prize is $5,000, 2nd prize is $2,500, and 3rd prize is $1,500.

Jan. 14

Sunday: 4 p.m.

The Roger Voisin Memorial Trumpet Competition

Jon Robertson, conductor

Saturday: 7:30 p.m. Location: Keith C. and Elaine Johnson Wold Performing Arts Center

Tickets: FREE Jan. 20 12th Annual New Music Festival Master Class with Scott Wheeler

THE JASON BISHOP SHOW

SANTINO & JESSICA FONTANA

MENOPAUSE THE MUSICAL

An amazing show with pop music, fast-paced magic, sleight of hand & audience participation!

The Broadway stars of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s CINDERELLA open the Crest Cabaret Series.

Hilarious, hit musical parody staged to classic tunes from the 60’s to the 80’s.

Crest Theatre | Jan. 6 & 7 | 2 & 8pm

Crest Theatre | Jan. 8-9 | 8 pm

Robert D. Chapin Lecture Series DR. JAMES DELGADO

New York Comedy Night JESSICA KIRSON & REGINA DECICCO

Delgado is known for deep-sea exploration of the Titanic, the “ghost ship” Mary Celeste and others.

Kirson and DeCicco open the 2018 Catch a Rising Star Comedy series.

Crest Theatre | Jan. 25 | 2 pm

Crest Theatre | Jan. 27 | 8 pm

Arts, entertainment, enrichment, outreach... there’s something for everyone at OLD SCHOOL SQUARE! GET TICKETS NOW @ OldSchoolSquare.org | 561.243.7922, x1 | 51 N. Swinton Ave | Delray Beach 33444

Crest Theatre | Jan. 12-14 | 8 pm

GENTRI: THE GENTLEMEN TRIO Crest Theatre | Feb. 2 | 8 pm

Tenors Brad Robins, Casey Elliott and Bradley Quinn Lever bring their “Cinematic Pop” sound - hailed as “strong, brave and inspiring.”

YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER | JANUARY 2018

The SYMPHONIA starts new strings program for kids Staff report Local Delray kids will have a chance to learn how to play violin thanks to a new partnership between a local orchestra group and the Naoma Donnelley Haggin Boys & Girls Club of Delray Beach. The SYMPHONIA, South Florida’s world-class chamber orchestra, recently started its Building a String Orchestra and Self-Esteem program at the Boys & Girls Club. The program is not a new idea. Executive Director of The SYMPHONIA Annabel

Russell said the group had a program at the Boca’s Boys and Girls Club for several years before the program outgrew the space. “It was successful, the kids loved it,” she said. “Ever since, I have been on the lookout for a way to repeat it somehow.” Thanks to a grant through the Great Ideas grant from Children’s Services Council of Palm Beach County, Russell was able to bring the program back. This time to Delray Beach. About 20 kids ages 6-11 will receive two

Local Delray students will learn how to play violin from The SYMPHONIA. Submitted photo.

lessons per week. They will learn how to play the violin and music. The goal is for the children to form their own string orchestra that will hold performances. “The children will become accomplished musicians and they will form their own string orchestra,” she said. “They will gain confidence and responsibility. They will work as a team to form their own orchestra.”

Cameron Sims plays violin at the Naoma Donnelley Stessie Jeune looks down at her violin during a lesson Haggin Boys & Girls Club of Delray Beach. Submitfrom The SYMPHONIA. Submitted photo. ted photo.

At the end of the semester, a Symphonia String Quartet will perform for and play

side-by-side with the children, allowing them to show the skills they have learned to their families and friends. The grant lasts for one year. Russell said she is working to make sure the program can continue and is applying for more grants and ways to keep the program sustainable. For more information on this program, visit thesymphonia.org or call 1-866687-4201.

5 ways parents can keep their sanity in 2018 By: Heather McMechan Special to the Boca and Delray newspapers

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You’re coming off the holiday high to probably feeling a little low and a bit of exhaustion. All you can think of (as a parent) is you made it! Now it’s 2018 and you start reflecting on last year and what a crazy ride it was. Between the homework battles, late night baseball games, Sunday birthday parties and long winded conference calls, you’re dreading it all to return. How are you going to try and keep your sanity this year? You’ll have to change those habits and make some little changes. I’m here to help because I’m one of those parents who is trying to keep her sanity as well.

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Reliquary Jar, Henry Levine, glass

Will your kids really hate you if you don’t volunteer for that field trip? Do you need to be at your 3rd networking luncheon this week when your to-do list is so long? Can you offer to send in the plates, cups, and napkins for the class party instead of volunteering your entire morning? Make good choices for yourself like you remind your kids. When you make the choice, then be happy with it and move on. Most people don’t want to hear you complain about your overscheduled life. Even I’m guilty of sharing and I’m sorry for that! 4. Stop being a hot mess

Don’t say I’ll get back to you! Look at your calendar and make that quick decision that frees up your time and energy. You need to define your limits and set boundaries (just like you would with your kids) around things you hold sacred.

Really start using your calendar to schedule out your day. I block out time for everything. When you know you need to pick up the kids, block out 30 minutes beforehand so you can transition from what you were doing and get out the door. One of the worst feelings is to feel rushed or be late especially when it comes to your family.

2. Stop overcommitting

5. Breathe

Follow Step 1 and you’ll be able to complete Step 2. The worst is when you have so much going you start feeling like an Uber driver dropping off little people at ballet, basketball and music practice. Sometimes you have to do some adulting and make the hard choices that will be better for you and your family. Remember, we’re talking about your sanity here.

As you race around all day with all of these responsibilities, you probably don’t even realize that you’re not breathing. When you pick up your kids, take 10 deep breaths to help you get through the afternoon frenzy. When you’re family sits down for a meal together, stop and take 10 deep breaths all of you and say one thing you are thankful for. Before you get out of bed in the morning, take 10 deep breaths and realize what an amazing day(year) you can make it if you just breathe.

1. Just say no

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schedule, make sure you “ask the why?”

3. Ask the why If you’re going to add something to your

THIS NEW YEAR

KYOEU 5 TFA OR REFLECT, RENEW, REBOOT

This January…It’s Time To TAKE 5 FOR YOU JANUARY 2018 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

™ Presented To Kick-Start

An Engaging, Interactive Program Series

Personal Balance, Growth and Hope In The New Year

Through a robust blend of art, music, literature, theater, mind/body/soul balance and enlightenment, TAKE 5 For You™ delivers 10 empowering opportunities to help energize you to hit your “personal reboot” button for more self-discovery, fulfillment and enjoyment in 2018. Whether you are seeking reflection, renewal and reconnection or a bit of entertainment, laughter and fun with family and friends … you will find it when you TAKE 5 For You™.

For full details/registration: www.bocaratonspromise.org/Take5ForYou or call (561) 392-5166

TAKE KYOEU 5 TFA OR ENLIGHTEN

PROGRAM GUIDE

KYOEU 5 TFA OR MUSIC

“Secret No More: A True Story of Hope for Parents with an Addicted Child” Tues., Jan. 16 - 7 pm | FREE, reservations required

ENLIGHTEN

Mindful Boca 2018: An Evening with Glennon Doyle Tues., Jan. 16 - 6:30 pm $35 general admission, $100 priority seating Wold Performing Arts Center, 3601 N Military Trail, Boca Raton

KYOEU 5 TFA OR ART

KYOEU 5 TFA OR ENLIGHTEN

Interactive “Conversations on Canvas” Night Wed., Jan. 17 - 6 pm & 8 pm $5 per person in advance, $10 at door Gallery 22, Royal Palm Place, 282 Via Naranja, Boca Raton

Fattitude: A Body Positive Documentary Screening and Q&A with Filmmaker Wed., Jan. 17 - 6:30 pm | FREE, must pre-register Dawson Theater, Boca Raton Regional Hospital

KYOEU 5 TA OR F

BALANCE

KYOEU 5 TFA OR BALANCE

KYOEU 5 TFA OR DISCOVER

(re)Train Your Brain Lunch & Learn Thurs., Jan. 18 - 12 Noon | FREE, reservations required Mariposa at Neiman Marcus, 5860 Glades Rd, Level Two, Boca Raton

Meditation For Meaning: Newbies 101 Sat., Jan. 20 - 1 pm | $5 per person in advance, $10 at door JLBR Vegso Center, 261 NW 13th Street, Boca Raton

Personal Visioning 101 Sat., Jan. 20 - 2:15 pm | $5 per person in advance, $10 at door JLBR Vegso Center, 261 NW 13th Street, Boca Raton

The Atrium at Cendyn, 980 North Federal Highway, Boca Raton

A fun and casual throwback nod to the popular, intimate live music venues of the ‘60s and ‘70s where peace-inspired guitar playing and sing-a-long “folk and friend” favorites made everyone feel united and hopeful … imparting a sense of shared humanity. Much more than a performance night, screens will feature lyrics … for a collective nostalgic “singfest” of memorable songs by Peter, Paul & Mary; James Taylor; John Denver; Cat Stevens and Joni Mitchell to Simon & Garfunkel; Carol King and John Lennon. Emcee is Cindy Nimhauser; Master Song Leader is Patti Linsky along with other local “live” talent.

Zinman Hall, 9901 Donna Klein Blvd, Boca Raton

KYOEU 5 TA OR

“You’ve Got A Friend” Coffee House Sat., Jan. 20 - 7 pm | $40 per person, reservations required

Altar EGO Sun., Jan. 21 - 10:30 am | reservations required E TAK 5 YOU FOR

THEATRE

$30 general admission, $40 reserved seating/continental breakfast at 9:30 a.m. Levis JCC Phyllis & Harvey Sandler Center, 21050 95th Ave S, Boca Raton

Altar EGO is a one-woman powerhouse show brimming with signature wit, humor and zest for life that features original songs and clever new lyrics to standards, tongue-in-cheek humor and audaciously delicious verve as Cantor Patti Linsky shares her story of how she went through a near-death experience and came out on the other side transformed. Altar EGO inspires as Linsky traces her physical, emotional, mental and spiritual transformation through her 21-year poignant journey that included a car accident in 1996 that began a painkiller road, followed by an addiction/breakdown in rehab 2007, and later abdominal surgery in 2009 which almost took her life. Linsky shares her remarkable story through Altar EGO so that others may begin to walk a path to their own authenticity, devoid of shame and humiliation.

KYOEU 5 TFA OR ENLIGHTEN

Mental Health Awareness 101 Sun., Jan. 21 - 12 Noon | FREE, reservations required Levis JCC Phyllis & Harvey Sandler Center, 21050 95th Ave S, Boca Raton

BOCA RATON'S

Created and produced by

PROMISE

Presented in collaboration with organizations and personal coaches, including:

• Adolph & Rose Levis Jewish Community Center • Ruth & Norman Rales Jewish Family Services • Deborah & Larry D. Silver Center for Jewish Engagement, A Division of the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County

• Hillel of Broward and Palm Beach • Peaceful Mind Peaceful LifeTM, Barb Schmidt and Michelle Maros • Neurocore Brain Performance Centers

• • • •

Gallery 22, Royal Palm Place Mat Matterz, Mary Ann Morgan-Fried EmpowHERful Voice, Suzy Garber IAEDP South Florida

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YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER | JANUARY 2018

2018

JANUARY 6TH

CELEBRATION OF UNITY • 1 - 5 pm

CAROLYN SIMS CENTER, 225 NW 12th Ave., Boynton Beach

LIVE MUSIC • FOOD & DRINKS FREE KIDS ACTIVITIES B O Y N T O N B E A C H C E L E B R AT E S D R . M A R T I N L U T H E R K I N G , J R .

" In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends" - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

PRESENTED BY

C AT C H B O Y N T O N .C O M

JANUARY 2018 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

99-year-old Boca man debuts as lead triangle player with Florida Intergenerational Orchestra By: Dale King Contributing Writer

longtime Boca resident and former teacher at Saint Andrew’s School. She has a dog named Niko Lazerick.

It’s said there are two sides to every story. But that doesn’t apply to 99-year-old Mel Lazerick of Boca Raton. His story has three sides. The three sides of the triangle he plays in the Florida Intergenerational Orchestra, that is. The enthusiastic gent who will hit the centennial mark on May 16 has been with the musical group for a year, but made his first appearance as triangle soloist just before Christmas. He took center stage at the annual “Holiday Lollapalooza” concert at Our Lady of Lourdes Church hall in West Boca, which opened the group’s 13th season. Mel was there, resplendent in tux and bow tie, triangle in hand. He enthralled the audience with his clanging skills, using a metal ice cream scoop to entice notes from the three-sided implement. Before he and his fellow musicians took the stage, Mel admitted that, “I don’t know a thing about music.” But Orchestra Conductor Lorraine Marks-Field came to his melodious rescue. “He’s a natural,” she said. “I give him a cue and he knows where to come in.” Lorraine said Mel actually plays two instruments – the triangle and the chimes. The triangle impresario said he is “totally enjoying my

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While Mel may not feel he’s musically inclined, his family was, said Carol.

Mel Lazerick, his triangle and the ice cream Mel Lazerick joins Orchestra Conductor scoop he uses to play it. Lorraine Marks-Field prior to the holiday Photo by Dale King. concert. Photo by Dale King.

experience with this amazing orchestra and with its dynamic conductor.” The early December performance featured traditional holiday musical fare. In addition to tunes for Christmas and Hanukkah, there were lots of surprises, including a guest visit from a jolly old soul packing gifts for the youngsters. Lorraine also involved the audience, inviting them to lend a hand in the percussion section. A Cleveland native, Mel was an owner of Advance Asphalt Paving in his home town for many years. He and his wife, Ina Mae Rabinovitch, were married for 71 years until her passing three years ago. Ina Mae “liked music, especially Sinatra,” said their daughter, Carol Lazerick, who joined her sister, Beth, in the audience for the holiday concert. Carol just moved to Boca Raton. Beth is a

“Dad’s mom and her siblings all played musical instruments. I actually still have my grandmother’s ebony flute. But Dad never played an instrument and I have never heard him sing a lick. He just loves people and experiences.” She said her aspiration for dad is to put him into the next GEICO insurance commercial, akin to the current ad that features a triangle player who goes wild during a performance. On Facebook, she has billed dad thusly: “GEICO Triangle Guy, meet your competition!” Mel is quite serious about the orchestra. “I’m fascinated by the young people and the older people who are so dedicated. We have a 10-year-old who plays the violin.” The intergenerational orchestra, which welcomes musicians of all ages, faiths and abilities, is conducted by Lorraine Marks-Field, who has won numerous awards for her ability to “blend the generations through music.” The orchestra has even created its own coloring book, “Let’s Color the Music,” available for a $5 contribution to this 501(c) 3 community orchestra. More information is available at www.flioa.org or by visiting Facebook.

YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER | JANUARY 2018

Boca Raton’s Promise launches TAKE 5 For You™ series Focus on personal balance, growth, hope in new year

Staff report

Uncovering and Discovering What Truly is Important for You, On and Off the Mat

Boca Raton’s Promise is starting a new program series that combines art, music, comedy, literature, theater to help promote mind, body and soul balance this month. The series called “TAKE 5 For You” provides programs for reflection, renewal with entertainment. Boca’s Promise has teamed up with several organizations and businesses including Adolph & Rose Levis Jewish Community Center, Ruth & Norman Rales Jewish Family Services, Deborah & Larry D. Silver Center for Jewish Engagement, A Division of the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County, Hillel of Broward and Palm Beach, Gallery 22, Neurocore Brain Performance Centers, Royal Palm Place, Mat Matterz, Mary Ann Morgan-Fried and EmpowHERful Voice, Suzy Garber. A comprehensive calendar is featured on www.bocaratonspromise.org, here are some key highlights: “Secret No More: A True Story of Hope for Parents with an Addicted Child” Featuring Author Lisa Hillman Presented by Ruth & Norman Rales Jewish Family Services. Sponsors include Boca Raton’s Promise. During this open-to-the-public forum, Author Lisa Hillman’s discusses her book “Secret No More”as she shares her story of discovery, shame, denial, and finally acceptance as one mother’s ultimate struggle with her son’s addiction and how it taught her a new way to love. Tuesday, January 16, 7 p.m. Zinman Hall, 9901 Donna Klein Blvd. Admission: Open-to-the-public, FREE. MUST pre-reserve your seat in advance online at www.rales.jfs/secretnomore. Mindful Boca 2018: An Evening with Glennon Doyle Presented by Peaceful Mind Peaceful Life & Boca Raton Regional Hospital Join Glennon Doyle - #1 New York Times bestselling author of Love Warrior, an Oprah’s Book Club Pick - along with Peaceful Mind Peaceful Life founders Barb Schmidt and Michelle Maros for an empowering and insightful conversation, followed by a Q&A, on living this year to the fullest. Tuesday, January 16, 6:30 p.m. Lynn University, Keith C. and Elaine Johnson Wold Performing Arts Center, 3601 N. Military Trail. Admission: Open-to-the-public. Registration is required; seating is limited. $35

Presented by Mat Matterz (www.strongerthroughyoga.com) and Boca Raton’s Promise This intro to meditation and yoga is led by Mary Ann Morgan-Fried, a certified E-RYT 500-hour Yoga Teacher, Lolë Wellness Professional and inspirational speaker who is passionate about sharing the healing, grace and love that can be achieved through meditation, yoga and the power of the breath. Saturday, January 20, 1:00 p.m. (general admission), $100 (priority seating). To purchase tickets, visit www.brrh.com/ WIEVENTS or call 561-955-7227.

Junior League of Boca Raton: Vegso Resource Center, Community Room, 261 NW 13th St.

Interactive “Conversations on Canvas” Night

Admission: $5 donation in advance, $10 at door; can be purchased online at www.bocaratonspromise.org.

Presented by Boca Raton’s Promise’s Art Committee and Gallery 22 Participants enjoy a night of personal expression, creativity and camaraderie as they grab a paintbrush and join in creating a community “conversation on canvas” that will become a touring exhibition throughout the community. No art experience necessary. Wednesday, January 17, Two sessions: 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. Gallery 22, Royal Palm Place, 282 Via Naranja. Admission: $5 per person donation, includes light refreshments. Limited to 25 people per session. Free parking; paid valet parking is available. Tickets purchased online at www.bocaratonspromise.com. (re)Train Your Brain Lunch & Learn Presented by Neurocore Brain Performance Centers (www.neurocorecenters.com) and Boca Raton’s Promise If you’re struggling with memory loss, lack of focus, loss of sleep, Neurocore may be a resource for you. Learn how their med-free approach uses science and technology to boost overall brain performance and may reduce symptoms associated with ADHD, anxiety, depression and more! Thursday, January 18, 12 noon Mariposa Neiman Marcus at Town Center of Boca Raton. 5860 Glades Rd, Level Two. Admission: Session size is limited for best interaction. FREE, registration is required. Contact Jon Kaye at Kaye Communications: jkaye@ kcompr.com or call 561-392-5166. Meditation For Meaning: Newbies 101

Personal Visioning 101: Create the Life You WISH Existed and Design the Life You KNOW You Deserve! Presented by Certified Life and Transition Coach Suzy Garber of EmpowHERful Voice (http://www.EmpowHERfulVoice.com) and Boca Raton’s Promise. During this highly motivational and handson 90-minute workshop, you will have an opportunity to create a clear vision for EVERYTHING you desire in your life! You will create and leave with your very own visioning board that will remind and guide you on your personal journey. You must bring a printed “happy” photo to the workshop. Saturday, January 20, 2:15 p.m. Junior League of Boca Raton: Vegso Resource Center, Community Room 261 NW 13th St. Admission: Session size is limited for best interaction. $5 donation in advance, $10 at door; can be purchased online at www.bocaratonspromise.org. “You’ve Got A Friend” Coffee House Presented by Boca Raton’s Promise, Sponsored by Kaye Communications A fun and casual throwback nod to the popular, intimate live music venues of the 60s and 70s where peace-inspired guitar playing and sing-a-long “folk and friend” favorites made everyone feel united and hopeful …imparting a sense of shared humanity. Much more than a performance night, screens will feature lyrics…for a collective nostalgic “singfest” of memorable songs by Peter, Paul & Mary; James Taylor; John Denver; Cat Stevens and Joni Mitchell to Simon & Garfunkel; Carol King and John Lennon. Emcee is Cindy Nimhauser; Master Song Leader is Patti Linsky along with other local “live” talent.

Saturday, January 20, 7 p.m.

The Atrium at Cendyn, 980 North Federal Highway Admission: $40 per person, includes live entertainment, coffees, teas, dessert bar and one glass of Prosecco. Cash “wine bar” available. Plenty of free parking. Tickets online at www.bocaratonspromise.org Altar EGO Presented by Boca Raton’s Promise in collaboration with Adolph & Rose Levis JCC Altar EGO is a one-woman powerhouse show brimming with signature wit, humor and zest for life that features original songs and clever new lyrics to standards, tongue-incheek humor and audaciously delicious verve as Cantor Patti Linsky shares her story of how she went through a near-death experience and came out on the other side transformed. Altar EGO inspires as Linsky traces her physical, emotional, mental and spiritual transformation through her 21-year poignant journey that included a car accident in 1996 that began a painkiller road, followed by an addiction/ breakdown in rehab 2007, and later abdominal surgery in 2009 which almost took her life. Linsky shares her remarkable story through Altar EGO so that others may begin to walk a path to their own authenticity, devoid of shame and humiliation. Sunday, January 21, 10:30 a.m. Levis JCC Phyllis & Harvey Sandler Center, 21050 95th Ave S. Admission: $40 reserved seating with continental breakfast at 9:30 a.m.; $30 general admission. Plenty of free parking. Tickets purchased online at www.bocaratonspromise.com Mental Health Awareness 101 Presented by Ruth & Norman Rales Jewish Family Services and Boca Raton’s Promise This enlightening 90-minute Mental Health Awareness session is an introduction to the most common mental illnesses a person may have. This presentation will teach you signs and symptoms to be aware of, how to speak to a person suffering, and ways to connect them to help in their community. Sunday, January 21, 12 Noon Levis JCC Phyllis & Harvey Sandler Center, 21050 95th Ave S. Admission: FREE, includes light refreshments. For optimal interaction, session is limited to 30 participants; MUST reserve your seat in advance by calling Jaclyn Tureff at (561) 852-3151 or email JaclynT@ralesjfs. org.

HEALTH

JANUARY 2018 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

Is stress a choice? By: Laura Norman Special to the Boca and Delray newspapers Health is the tapestry through which all the threads of our lives are intimately woven. Pull one loose and you risk unraveling or weakening the whole. Stress plays a key role in our health and how we experience life. It is the internal response we experience to external changes and challenges, whether real or imagined – a deadline at work, an upcoming dinner with the in-laws, relationship issues or just our imagination running wild. We experience stress when we lose faith in our ability to cope. Our stress response–the classic fight-or-flight reaction–is not just in our heads. It is an automatic response that reverberates throughout our entire body. Adrenaline is released, our heart rate quickens, breathing becomes shallower, blood vessels on the skin surface contract, blood pressure rises, digestion and intestinal processes shut down, muscles tense up, the stomach tightens. None of these conditions are meant to persist for very long. The body couldn’t stand it. They are shortterm responses to immediate dangers. Yet we live in a society that is constantly presenting us with stressful situations. Unless we take conscious action,

our stress response can stay permanently turned on, even at low levels. Such extreme mobilization can only be maintained for so long before our minds and bodies show signs of exhaustion. What’s the antidote? Relaxation. Only a mind and body that is relaxed and in balance can thrive. The remarkable thing about knowing how to relax is that it gives you more control over your life. You gain tremendous confidence knowing you can handle stressful situations. Instead of reacting, you find yourself responding to people and situations from a place of calm and centeredness. Things that used to bother you lose their power. I have practiced and taught Reflexology, a non-invasive, natural method for activating the healing powers of the mind and body through profound relaxation, for over forty years. My clients and graduates tell me that Reflexology is a both a method for helping you feel better now, and for enhancing your everyday life by keeping you centered, at the peak of your energies and creativity. Reflexology helps ward off illness and fatigue and maintain an optimal state of health and well-being. Whatever you do, you’ll do it with more en-

thusiasm, joy, focus and energy. The true nature of stress is that it starts within each of us. And since it does, we can do something about it. Choose to start taking charge of your life right now. Make reflexology a part of your action plan this year. Experience a natural, powerful way to enhance the quality of your relationships, your health and your life. Laura Norman, M.S., LMT, world-renowned Holistic Reflexologist and author of the best-selling book, Feet First: A Guide to Foot Reflexology, offers private Reflexology and Life Wellness Coaching sessions in Delray Beach and Holistic Reflexology Certification Training Programs in Boynton Beach starting February 17. Laura has created Aromatherapy products and step-by-step Foot, Hand and Face Reflexology Home Study DVDs, and offers beautiful gift certificates for all occasions. www.lauranorman.com • wellness@ lauranorman.com • 561-272-1220

INSIDE

Palm Beach County

West Boca Medical Center opens Senior Care ER Staff report To help care for the aging population, West Boca Medical Center has opened a Senior Care Emergency Room. The Senior Care ER at West Boca Medical Center, will focus on emergency care for senior patients, and is designed to increase patient comfort as well as provide greater aid for this growing segment of the population. “We are excited to be able to offer this enhanced service to our patients and their families,” said Mitch Feldman, CEO at West Boca Medical Center. “Our goal is to provide the best quality care possible to our patients at every age.” The Senior Care Emergency Room is the first program in Boca Raton exclusively dedicated to meeting the needs of patients age 65 and up. The Senior Care ER will include four private bays and will be equipped to help increase patient comfort and reduce wait time. The Senior ER Care team consists of board-certified emergency physicians, nurses, pharmacists, social workers and case managers to help ensure excellent patient care and coordinated after-care follow up. It will have soothing lights, nonskid floor surfaces to help prevent falls, thicker mattresses for comfort, easy access

MindBody Expo back [19]

lounge chairs and handrails throughout the ER. You do not need an appointment to go to the ER, but you may have to wait if other patients have more pressing medical needs. There is an online scheduling tool InQuickER so you can set an appointment. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, such as a heart attack or stroke, it is important to call 911 for an ambulance instead of driving. This allows emergency medical services to begin treatment immediately. To make an appointment online click here to check-in now: https://checkin.inquicker.com/facility/west-boca-medical-center?utm_medium=FSO

Help your skin with laser [21]

YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER | JANUARY 2018

Get back in shape

prove my condition. Even following my experimental surgery, another year of physical therapy and other treatment modalities, my back was still nowhere close to being able to live my active lifestyle. I was determined to find a way.

By: Michael Katz Special to the Boca and Delray newspapers Back pain is the worst. And getting in shape is tough! Being able to deal with both simultaneously can be overwhelming, and may seem impossible. I am here to tell you it can be done. Even under the most unlikely of circumstances.

Throughout this whole process, I dedicated myself to learning everything I could about back pain and overall injury prevention. This also fueled me into going back to school for a Masters in Health Science. However, I could not take on that challenge until my physical health was intact. Two years of inactivity causes a lot of muscle atrophy and I knew I needed a strong core to be able to work out pain free. But how? Those of who have had back pain have probably struggled with the double-edged sword of how to strengthen the core

My story Always being extremely active, I loved sports such as basketball, volleyball, and hockey. Eight years ago, it was crushing to hear from medical specialists that I would no longer be able to participate in these kinds of activities. After being rushed to the hospital following a sports

injury in my lower back, I spent over a year trying every medical, therapeutic, and holistic method imaginable to im-

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without hurting the back. Where to start One of the keys is a muscle called the transverse abdominis, or TVA. This is a deep core muscle that plays a major factor with trunk stability. This TVA muscle runs horizontally across the abdomen and attaches into the lumbar spine. Some professionals even describe this muscle as a corset or girdle. There are numerous exercises to strengthen the TVA but before getting started with a fitness specialist, make sure to understand the details of your specific condition. I strongly advise visiting a medical professional if the problem has been ongoing and is more than mild discomfort or tightness. Do your research and find someone with a solid track record. Once cleared for exercise, that’s exactly what will be needed. Inactivity will almost certainly worsen your condition so getting started with a program is crucial. However, don’t just throw things at the wall and see what sticks. Back pain can be originated from a variety of sources and you don’t want to exacerbate your condition. Have a plan. Talk with someone who is familiar with your situation and is an expert in orthopedic exercise. Find out what would be good for you because it may not be the same thing recommended to your friend down the block. Answer these questions For those with back pain take into consideration: 1) Where are your sources of pain? and 2) What positions bother you the most? A child’s pose and a cobra pose are two wellknown yoga positions but you are likely to be more uncomfortable in one than the other. This can be a helpful piece of information for whoever is in charge of your exercise programming. Lastly, be mindful of strength. Are you aware of any weaknesses that you have? Most people are aware of the link between tight hamstrings and back pain. However the strength aspect of the opposing muscle group(in this case, the quad) is often ignored. When improving your strength and/or range of motion, you will also see improvement in your weight distribution and posture. This alone will likely lead to decreased discomfort. Added leg strength and body awareness also improves activities of daily living such as picking something up off the ground. Michael Katz is a Master Trainer at Pūrlife Delray. Originally from the Philadelphia area, he earned a Masters in Health Science Education at Hofstra University in Long Island NY. He is a certified personal trainer through the American Council of Exercise as well as the leader in golf fitness, Titleist Performance Institute. Michael is proud to be a licensed school teacher in the field of health. Always looking to learn more to help his clients, Michael enrolled in industry leader, Precision Nutrition and is certified by Functional Movement Systems, a screen designed to identify compensatory movements patterns to reduce the risk of injury.

JANUARY 2018 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

Plateau protection By: Christine King Contributing Writer

body composition.

Both new exercisers and those who have been hitting the gym for years eventually run into a brick wall. Weight loss and muscle gain were steady and then bam, weeks without a change in

A plateau occurs for a few reasons. Muscle has memory, and if your weekly routine becomes just that, a routine, the neuromuscular system becomes lazy and less likely to respond with results. Also, if your food intake has been less than stellar (Ahem...Holiday Parties), your metabolism may be growing sluggish, causing fewer calories burned, reduced energy and curbed physical results. Avoiding the dreaded plateau can be simple with proper planning and perhaps a little guidance. Varying weekly exercises is critical. Don’t allow the body to get comfortable in a “routine.” For strength training, seek professional guidance to safely learn new moves. If you typically use weight machines ask your Fitness Professional to teach you compound and body weight movements. Learn proper use of the tools like the warrior ropes, TRX, stability and medicine balls, BOSU and other foreign-looking objects you see at the gym. Fear not, this equipment gives the workout of a lifetime, and it’s fun! I always tell our clients “Give me a stability ball, and I’ll whip your butt for an hour!” If you’re stuck on the hamster wheel of three sets, 10 reps per set, stop. Play with the amount of weight used and increase

or decrease the reps. Breakdown training is another highly effective method of shaking things up. For example, select a medium weight (not your heaviest used) pair of dumbbells. Maintaining proper form through this exercise is critical. Perform as many biceps curls as you can. Once fatigued pick up the next lightest pair and repeat. Continue until your arms feel like silly putty. This method isn’t appropriate for new exercisers; however, it’s a remarkable technique for a “regular’ and can be implemented for most exercises.

MindBody Expo is returning to Delray Beach and Boca Raton next month for the fifth year. The 2018 event will head to Old School Square on Feb. 17 and Sanborn Square on Feb. 25. The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in both cities. Over 100 exhibitors are planned to include large corporations, small businesses, as well as local initiates along with health, wellness and holistic professionals. Two new features at MindBody Expo

HAVE NEVER BEEN THIS CLOSE…

Stop taking rests in between sets. Maintain blood flow and improve metabolism by implementing a lower body exercise immediately after an upper body set. Another option is to throw in a plyometric activity like jump roping, burpees or jumping jacks. Cardio sessions also need a remodel. Ditch the 30-minute mindless treadmill, bike or elliptical. Instead, try 10 minutes on each machine. If you’re married to a favorite cardio device incorporate interval training. Every five minutes increase the speed for 30 seconds. Soon your overall cardio response will improve and your average pace will seem slow! These measures significantly improve metabolic response and catapult you right out of the dreaded plateau. Please consult your physician prior to beginning any type of exercise program. Christine King is a Medical Exercise Specialist, Fitness Expert, and Founder of YourBestFit. The health and wellness company has helped thousands of clients recover from injuries, look and feel better and improve their overall well-being. www.YourBestFit.com

MindBody Expo returns for fifth year Staff report

HEALTHY SKIN & NATURAL BEAUTY

next year will be MindBody Kids and MindBody Foods expanding to an interactive green zone dedicated to children and families for discovery, and science – sponsored by Floridian Community Bank and offering yoga for kids, offer a younger audience the chance to try different forms of exercise, yoga and mindfulness with instructor Ginger Fawn Bowden. Events are free to the public, $10 VIP Tote Bags, as well as raffle items going towards Delray Children’s Garden and Milagro Center can be purchased at mindbodyexpo.net.

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YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER | JANUARY 2018

Multiple Sclerosis defeated By: Dr. John Conde, DC, DACNB Special to the Boca and Delray newspapers allows us to do more with less. Therefore in relation to multiple sclerosis and most neurological disease this understanding affords clinicians the opportunity to make major changes in the nervous system even if some regions are scarred or injured.

Over the last 10-15 years, there has been an explosion in neuroscience based research and its non-pharmaceutical clinical applications to brain dysfunction. Simply put, understanding how the brain works so that when something goes wrong we can identify the pathways in the brain that malfunction. Why this is such a breakthrough is due to the understanding that the nervous system can change according to the environmental stimuli it is exposed to. So once we can identify where the problem is we can deliver a targeted treatment to “activate” the region and restore function. This “activation”, according to this revolutionary research, is in the number of dendrites or potential synaptic sites between neurons and in the number or quanta of neurotransmitter substance. Hence, this

Upon the completion of a comprehensive neurological examination and an accurate identification of the under functioning regions of the nervous system are localized, the neurological rehabilitative process begins. The goals are to increase processing speeds in the brain and nervous system, something that multiple sclerosis compromises through the formation of the scars but can be somewhat overcome through the applications of plasticity. Two cutting-edge, highly researched tools that are being utilized in the field of neurology are the Interactive Metronome (IM) and the Dynavision D2. These modalities work specifically on processing speeds, brain synchronization, and visuo-motor-spatial awareness so that the brain can communicate with the limbs faster and more efficiently allowing for less fatigue, less stiffness, im-

placed on speed and sequence.

proved balance, improved coordination, and less pain. Specifically in reference to the IM, it provides a structured, goal-oriented program that challenges the patient to synchronize a range of whole body exercises to a precise computer-generated beat. The patient attempts to match the rhythmic beat with repetitive motor movements. IM’s game-like features engage the patient with auditory and visual guidance and provide real-time feedback while encouraging him/her to improve their scores. In regards to the Dynavision D2, it works on visuo-motor, neuro-cognitive and spatial skills as well as on a neurological process termed “efferent copy.” This process engages and integrates two very important regions of the brain, the cerebellum and frontal lobe. These areas of the brain are responsible for everything that makes us human such as problem solving, timing, sequencing, planning, initiating through processes and coordination. The user is required to manually compress targets made up of 64 LED lights that are blinking in a strategically established manner according to the neurological presentation of the person. The information is recorded and attention is

In conjunction with this, neurophysiologic exercises utilizing specific oculomotor therapies (eye movement), mirror therapy, vestibular (balance) activities, and graded motor imagery (visualization with electrical stimulation placed on the dysfunctional limb) are used to truly enhance the brain’s ability to work effectively. Proper dietary recommendations and supplement recommendations are part of the picture because the brain needs adequate fuel to perform. These recommendations should be discussed at the time of the report of findings with your physician as is the case at the Conde Center for Chiropractic Neurology. Dr. John Conde is a Board Certified Chiropractic Neurologist, one of only one thousand in the country. He holds diplomate status through the American Chiropractic Neurology Board. He provides specialized care for difficult cases of back neck pain, numbness-tingling, vertigo-dizziness balance disorders, fibromyalgia, migraines, AD/HD, autism, and dyslexia. His office is located at the Atlantic Grove in Delray Beach, FL and can be reached at 561-3306096, drconde@thecondecenter.com, and at www.thecondecenter.com

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JANUARY 2018 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

What can laser treatments do for my skin? By: Dr. Francesca Lewis MD, FAAD Special to the Boca and Delray newspapers target pigment in the skin, hemoglobin (in blood vessels) or water. Which we target depends on what condition the person has that needs treatment.

The new year is a time for new resolutions, and what better resolution than to get your skin in shape. It is never too late to start taking care of your skin. Laser treatments are one way to turn back the clock on sun damage and wrinkles. Did you know the Laser actually stands for “light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation”? The way that lasers work is by generating energy/heat at a certain wavelength to target a specific focus in the skin. Depending on the wavelength of the laser, we may use it to

Lasers that target hemoglobin (in our blood cells) can treat hemangiomas, growths composed of blood vessels in the skin, the redness and broken blood vessels of rosacea or sun damage, and other red birth marks like port wine stains on the skin. Lasers that target pigment can help with brown spots from sun damage and age, the pigment in hair follicles for hair removal and the pigment in tattoos. Lasers that target water can heat the skin and help with tightening wrinkles and laxity of the skin. The most common skin imperfections we see here in South Florida that can benefit from laser treatments are sun damage induced brown spots with redness and broken blood vessels. A common treatment we provide is photorejuvenation with an Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) laser device. IPL is slightly different than other laser treatments because instead of one wavelength of light it actually includes a broad range which allows it to target both

redness and brown pigmentation during the same session. IPL treatments have minimal to no downtime and are easy to tolerate. The skin may be transiently pink afterwards and sun spots will turn darker and have a “coffee ground” appearance before flaking off within a week. The best results are seen in a series of 3 monthly treatments. IPL is an amazing treatment that can benefit sun damage, pigmentation, rosacea and broken blood vessels with one device. Lasers that help stimulate collagen production in the skin to tighten and help with fine lines, pore size, and texture are called “resurfacing lasers.” Most resurfacing lasers are now fractionated which means that instead of a solid beam of energy on the entire field of skin that is treated (imagine a flashlight beam shining on the skin), the energy is divided into tiny rays of light (like shining the flashlight through a cheese grater). This means that less of the skin is heated and therefore there is less downtime and fewer potential complications. There are two types of fractionated resurfacing lasers: ablative and non-ablative. Ablative lasers are more aggressive and result in longer downtimes (2-3 weeks) of redness,

crusting, peeling followed by another few weeks of pinkness, but can give remarkable results in just one treatment. Non-ablative lasers generate columns of heat in the skin, and so are recommended in a series of treatments (usually starting with 3 monthly treatments) and have less downtime (only a few days of pinkness and swelling). Both types of laser treatments generate new collagen production to tighten the skin but the latter is easier to fit into our busy work and life schedules. It is important to meet with a Board Certified Dermatologist or Plastic Surgeon to determine which type of laser treatment is most suitable for your skin type and condition. It is also important to consider the downtime of these procedures and plan ahead to start these at a time when your sun exposure can be limited and keep in mind how much down-time you can afford.

To meet with Dr. Francesca Lewis for a complementary laser consultation in January, please call Delray Dermatology + Cosmetic Center at 561-440-8020. We offer IPL treatments, non-ablative resurfacing treatments, and combination photofractional treatments.

YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER | JANUARY 2018

BIZ

JANUARY 2018 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

‘Imagination Israel’ puts cutting-edge Jewish innovations on display in Boca By: Dale King Contributing Writer

Boca Raton area residents closed out 2017 by crowding the auditorium of Olympic Heights High School to view five cutting-edge, high-tech, Israeli-made products and to hear from the people who invented and crafted them. The program, “Imagination Israel,” an informative, celebratory event leading up to Israel’s 70th anniversary of statehood this spring, was offered by the Jewish Community Relations Council of the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County. The 90-minute production offered the audience a look at and explanation of such items as new voice recognition software for the speech-impaired, a method of determining Alzheimer’s disease by examining the eye-brain connection, a process for saving water in an increasingly thirsty world and an awe-inspiring look at the future of robotics. Also, an Israeli scientist told how she had created a virtual fitting room platform and app that has reinvented the way consumers browse, share and shop. Following the demonstrations, audience members had an opportunity to meet and question the presenters. “Israel produces astounding products that are changing the world we all live in for the better,” said Matthew C. Levin, the Federation’s president and CEO, who moderated the Nov. 30 presentation. “As we near Israel’s 70th anniversary, the innovative, technological prowess of this tiny country is clearly one of the miracles that commands celebration. And Diaspora Jewish involvement in Israeli business is an important way to support our homeland.” According to Forbes and other sources, Israel ranks first among countries in per-capita venture-capital investments,

Ziv Zaretsky, from TaKaDu, explains his company’s programs to increase efficiency and reduce loss in the water industry at “Imagination Israel” in Boca Raton. Photo by Dale King.

Zeekit CEO and co-founder Yael Vizel demonstrated her company’s virtual fitting room for the audience at “Imagination Israel” in Boca Raton. Photo courtesy of Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County.

technology startups, scientists and tech professionals. The nation also leads the world in research and development investment as a percentage of GDP. This tiny country’s high-tech efforts get a boost through investments, partnerships and acquisitions from large corporations like Apple Inc., Intel Corp., IBM and Cisco Systems that create jobs in Israel and enable entrepreneurs to move on and start their next ventures. Developed in Israel by leading entrepreneurs and scientists, these products -- like many others generated there benefit Israelis as well as consumers in the United States and worldwide. On the Olympic Heights stage, Dr. Yigal Rotenstreich highlighted his retinal research team’s work at Sheba Medical Center, where they are using advanced, noninvasive imaging techniques and a new medical device to explore the eye as a window to the brain that can detect signs of Alzheimer’s before clinical symptoms become apparent. Danny Weissberg and Sara Smolley opened the audience’s eyes with videos showing how their Voiceitt technol-

Sara Smolley and Danny Weissberg meet with Boca Raton City Councilman Robert Weinroth at the “Imagination Israel” display. Weissberg holds a device that translates speech from people with mild to severe impairments into a clear, understandable voice. Photo by Dale King.

ogy translates speech from children and adults with mild to severe impairments as a result of cerebral palsy, autism, ALS and Parkinson’s into a clear voice in real time. This, they said, enables them to communicate naturally and spontaneously with family members, health care professionals, peers and society as a whole. The software learns and adapts over time, they noted, continually improving its performance. Yael Vizel, CEO and co-founder of Zeekit, a virtual fitting room program, allows consumers to “try on” fashions virtually, see how an item looks on them, get personalized size suggestions and share their new looks with friends -- all on their mobile devices. Vizel said she was inspired to create Zeekit by the mapping technologies used for intelligence missions during her tenure as a captain in the Israeli Air Force. She was also moved by a scene in the movie, Clueless, in which Alicia Silverstone, as Cher, uses a similar program on her computer. Ziv Zaretsky, executive VP for sales and development at TaKaDu, a global software provider of integrated solutions for the water industry, outlined the company’s services. Its programs enable utilities to detect, analyze and manage leaks, bursts, faulty assets, telemetry and data issues and operational failures, increasing efficiency and reducing water loss. Yaron Schwarcz from Tridom Robotics said that firm’s robotics technology and 3D printing solutions focus on safety in construction work, the third deadliest occupation in the world. They are currently designing high-tech devices to use in their robotic window washing system.

INSIDE

Palm Beach County

JM launches new initiative [26]

Snag a membership… to see your doctor [30]

YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER | JANUARY 2018

Boca’s economic development report By: Jessica Del Vecchio Economic Development Manager Special to the Boca and Delray newspapers ratings and employment opportunities.

ful businesses within our community.

Boca Raton ranked 11 in the region and

Both Flagcraft and Nail Depot are family

took the top spot in Palm Beach County.

owned businesses that have been based

Small Business Saturday

in Boca Raton since the early 1990s. Boca business brief The 84,000-square-foot warehouse located at 1101 Clint Moore Road, recently sold for $16 million. The warehouse, which is leased to FedEx, was built on the 7.9 acre site in 1997. Maryland based Realterm Logistics bought the space and re-

Recently, the Mayor of Boca Raton celebrated Small Business Saturday by preBoca takes top spot Last month, analytical firm Niche.com conducted a study identifying the best neighborhoods in South Florida. The study ranked cities based on factors including crime statistics, public school

senting Flagcraft and Nail Depot with proclamations, honoring each of them for their successful contributions to the local business community. Mayor Haynie visited both businesses to present the proclamations and personally thank them for being active and success-

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named the Boca Raton Championship and will air on the Golf Channel. With an attendance level of over 60,000 residents and an estimated direct economic impact of $5.5 to $7 million, this annual event is one of Boca’s best community events of the year. For tournament and ticket information please check out their website at allianzchampionship.com. Have corporate news to share or looking

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YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER | JANUARY 2018

JM Lexus launches new program geared toward building trust, eliminating negotiation By: Marisa Herman Associate Editor Imagine purchasing a car without the stress, haggling and hours of back and forth. JM Lexus is looking to turn that vision of a streamlined, transparent car buying experience into reality with a new program, Lexus Plus. Lexus Plus, a voluntary program for Lexus dealers, promises to deliver negotiation-free pricing and one dedicated point person who walks customers through the entire process. That means, the price on the car is what you pay and one representative helps answer questions, takes you on a test drive and goes through the financial portion of the car buying process. The goal is to create a better car buying experience based on trust. “This is going to be a very exciting year for us,” vice president and general man-

ager of JM Lexus Jim Dunn. “JM Lexus has always been an industry leader. Our motto is, ‘If it isn’t broke, break it.’ I’ve always felt there’s a better way to do what we do every day.” He said the dealership made the decision over a year ago to participate in Lexus Plus. It is one of about a dozen Lexus dealers in the country to opt into the program. It is the only dealer in the Southeast to offer Lexus Plus. The program began in November at JM Lexus. The goal is to shorten the car buying process to two hours. The average time is more than three and a half hours. Customers will work with one representative to address all questions and not be shuffled around to different departments. The program also eliminates all dealer fees. The price of the car is set based on market value, historical data on previous selling prices, availability of the car, what options and packages the car has and in-

Vice President and General Manager of JM Lexus Jim Dunn explains the Lexus Plus concept. Staff photo.

JM Lexus launches Lexus Plus, a new program that aims to take hassle out of buying a car. Staff photo.

put from third party resources like Kelley Blue Book.

can be applied to purchasing or leasing a vehicle.

“Anyone can come in here and know they can get a great deal,” Dunn said. “It’s one price, one person. The same person who says hello to you is the same person who says goodbye.”

If you change your mind on your purchase within 72 hours, the dealer will take the car back and refund your money.

Lexus Plus pricing is available on both new and pre-owned vehicles. The pricing

3 things to know about Social Security benefits By: John M. Campanola, Agent New York Life Insurance Company Special to the Boca and Delray newspapers

As of spring 2017, more than 40 million retired workers were receiving monthly Social Security benefits. Most of them were relying on Social Security for more than half their income. The Social Security Administration determines your full retirement age based on your birth year. For example, the retirement age is 66 for people born in 1945, 66 and two months for people born in 1955, and 67 for people born in 1960 or later. But you don’t have to wait until your full retirement age to claim your benefits, nor do you have to start collecting the minute you reach it. Here are a few things to keep in mind as you prepare to apply for Social Security: 1. Look into your spousal benefit. It may be a good idea to apply for a spousal benefit rather than one in your own name as primary earner. This is worth examining if the overall earnings of your spouse or ex-spouse were higher than your own. (Note: Benefit payments to a spouse or ex-spouse do not affect the amount paid to the primary earner.) 2. “File and Suspend” has ended. The Social Security Administration no longer allows you to “file” for benefits as soon as you reach retirement age and “suspend” claiming them until later. However, the

“Our mission is to be the very best dealership in the world,” Dunn said. “It’s going to be a great experience for everybody, every time, every day.” so-called “Restricted Application” lets your spouse, if he or she has reached full retirement age, apply for benefits and start collecting them. One of you can apply for the spousal benefit while the other delays applying for Social Security and amasses delayed retirement credits that will increase the benefit once it is collected. 3. Later is better. The Social Security Administration allows you to retire — and claim your benefit — any time after you reach age 62. However, your monthly payment at 62 may be as much as 30 percent lower than it would be if you had waited until you reached full retirement age. A $1,000 monthly retirement benefit, for example, would drop to as low as $700, and a spouse’s $500 benefit would fall to $325. On the flip side, benefits increase for each month you work past full retirement age until you reach age 70. Given that fewer retirees are receiving defined benefit pensions, Social Security has become an important shield that helps protect retirees from market volatility, low interest rates on savings accounts, and the worry of outliving savings. A qualified professional can help ensure that you make the most of the Social Security benefits you have coming to you. To learn more about the information or topics discussed, please contact John M. Campanola at 561-642-5180.

JANUARY 2018 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

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YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER | JANUARY 2018

Preparing your finances for the New Year By: Rachel Barzilay, CAP®, CFP®, CRPC®, Managing Director, Wealth Management Advisor and Senior Portfolio Manager with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management in Boca Raton Special to the Boca and Delray newspapers 1. Why should we prepare our finances at the start of the new year? While your physical health is likely top-of-mind at the beginning of the new year, now is an appropriate time to check on your financial well-being, too. With the holiday season – and all of the gift spending - behind us and New Year’s resolutions on the horizon, it is important to prioritize your finances in planning for 2018. This includes reviewing and monitoring your budget, reflecting on last year’s mistakes, and including your family in your plans. 2. How can we stay on top of our budget year-round? You may be faced with some obstacles or unexpected ex-

penses throughout the year; therefore, you can’t expect your budget to stay the same year-round. It takes close monitoring and periodic adjustments to help stay on track. The more you do so, the better you’ll get at keeping your expenses aligned with your objectives. If you’re unsure of how to establish a budget or start saving, consider visiting Merrill Lynch’s website at ml.com, where there are plenty of free resources, or involving a professional who can help you pursue your long and short-term financial goals, as well as plan ahead for big purchases. 3. What can we learn from 2017’s mistakes? While no one is immune from making a few financial mistakes in life, many of these mistakes can potentially be avoided or minimized as long as you pay attention to what your money is doing now and what your plan is for the year ahead. For example, there is a chance that you may have used one too many credit cards during the holiday spending season. Finding the right balance between, cash, check and plastic is important. Keep your financial future bright

by paying off big purchases right away, rather than carrying a balance and going into debt. 4. How can you get your family or loved ones on board? While reviewing these tips and preparations, parents can use this as a learning opportunity and talk with their kids about how to plan for their financial future. As your kids grow older, you should encourage them to work toward setting aside at least 10 percent of their income for long-term financial goals. With careful planning and budgeting, they’ll build a solid financial base and good habits for a lifetime. It’s never too early to be mindful of your money, and the simplest advice is to save as much as you can! It holds true at every age. The New Year holds many exciting opportunities and experiences. Just don’t let your finances derail your resolutions for 2018. Budgeting for the year ahead is an important first step. While considering the future, be sure to look back at your past spending patterns and mistakes, and learn from them. Finally, don’t go at it alone. Getting your family on board will help you stay on track and it will help them develop the habits needed to avoid any financial constraints in the future. No one can predict the future entirely, but preparing as much as possible can help make 2018 your year.

Fusion Academy expands to Boca Raton Staff report A new private school that focuses on one student and one teacher per classroom is slated to open in Boca Raton this spring. Fusion Academy Boca Raton will be the second Fusion Academy in South Florida, just after the opening of Fusion Academy Miami. Fusion Academy Boca Raton customizes every aspect of the educational experience for students in grades 6-12 and currently operates 47 other campuses in the country. Driven by increased demand for non-traditional education options in Florida, Fusion is expanding to provide access to children for whom traditional school is not the best option, including those interested in exploring passions outside of school, such as acting or athletics. Fusion Academy Boca Raton’s Head of

School, Christina Seamster, has been in education for more than 14 years. Prior to joining Fusion, Dr. Seamster was an assistant principal for Florida Virtual School Full Time. No stranger to unique instructional methods, Seamster completed her dissertation research on pedagogical practices in a non-traditional teaching environment at Florida Atlantic University and was featured in the “Handbook of Human Development in the Digital Age.” Jessica Rothschild, from St. Louis, Missouri, will join Seamster as the director of admissions and outreach. Rothschild has been in education for more than 10 years. Additionally, Dani Wolff Ferrigno, MA, will join Fusion Academy Boca Raton as the community outreach coordinator. A Spanish River High School graduate, Ferrigno returned to Boca Raton 14 years ago, after working in San Diego as an ed-

ucational therapist with Fusion Academy’s founder, Michelle Rose Gilman. “One size doesn’t fit all, when it comes to Boca Raton’s student population. Some are visual learners, while others are hands-on, kinesthetic learners,” Seamster said. “Fusion Academy Boca Raton will support students by meeting them where they are in their academic career and customizing learning techniques to foster social, emotional and academic growth.” Fusion also offers customized scheduling to meet the growing demands students face outside of school. At Fusion, homework is completed with help and supervision from a teacher in the Homework Café® on campus – students’ don’t take it home. This enables students to spend quality time with family and friends, or pursue competitive talents, sports and philanthropic work. Fusion’s revolutionary learning model takes a holistic approach with each student, focusing on their emo-

tional and social well-being while providing the highest quality academics. Coconut Creek resident Maria Pia Tedeschi, mother of 17-year-old Salvatore, first found Fusion Academy in New York. The family has been eagerly awaiting Fusion’s opening in South Florida, since moving to area one year ago. “As a single mother, Fusion Academy has exceeded my expectations in not only supporting my son’s growth as a student, but supporting us as a family,” said Tedeschi. “Through Fusion, I know other families will find that if traditional school does not work for them, they are not alone.” Fusion adds approximately 15-20 teaching jobs at each new campus, drawing highly-experienced, passionate educators who inspire growth through classes designed around student needs and interests. That number can increase up to 35 employed staff members at a full-capacity school. Fusion Academy teachers are not only passionate about what they teach, but are experts in their field.

A Fusion Academy student learns one-on-one with teacher. Submitted photo.

JANUARY 2018 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

Biz Briefs New VP of Development at Kaufman Lynn

strategic business direction for the organization – with the end goal of providing affordable homeownership for hardworking families in Boca, Delray and Boynton Beach.

Delray Beach-based Kaufman Lynn Construction has named Jeff Zalkin vice president of development.

Boca Chamber names Diamond Award winners

Zalkin will be responsible for cultivating key strategies to expand Kaufman Lynn Construction’s reach within the public, institutional and non-profit sectors and to ensure delivery of leading construction services to clients. Habitat for Humanity of South Palm Beach employee receives award At the 2017 Boca Chamber Awards Breakfast, Habitat for Humanity of South Palm Beach County Chief Development Officer Kari Oeltjen was presented the Boca Raton ChamOeltjen was ber’s 2017 Chair’s Kari recognized by Boca Award. Chamber. Photo courtesy of Carlos

It is an honor given Aristizabal. annually by the Chamber Chair to a member who aligns with the Boca Raton Chamber’s long-standing goal of creating positive change in the greater Boca Raton community.

“This year’s recipient is a shining example of how true dedication and passion for Boca Raton knows no limit,” shared Boca Raton Chamber Chair Ethel Isaacs Williams. “She is a leader, a nonprofit advocate and a woman who truly sees the big picture of making a lasting and widespread impact on the community.” Oeltjen started her position as the Chief Development Officer at Habitat for Humanity of South Palm Beach County in December 2016. In her role, she sets the

A DIAMOND is a Dedicated, Inspiring, Accomplished, Motivated, Outstanding, Noble, and Driven businesswoman. Cambia currently serves as the Executive Director of the Hannifan Center for Career Connections at Lynn University where she focuses on connecting students to potential job and internship opportunities while assisting them in their overall professional development. The Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce has named its Diamond Award winner, Barbara Cambia.

Under her leadership, internship participation has increased by more than 250 percent and freshmen engagement by more than 100 percent. She has partnered with the Boca Raton Chamber to create Future Leaders of Tomorrow, F.L.O.T., a three-week-student Leadership Boca program.

a program of the Golden Bell Education Foundation. This young woman is achieving success and shines bright as a rising star in the community. This year the Pearl Award was given to Skylar Mandell of the Florida Sea Turtle Company. Celebrate the winners during a luncheon on Friday, Feb. 23 at the Boca Raton Resort & Club. Day Pitney relocates Boca Raton office to Mizner Park Day Pitney LLP has relocated its Boca Raton office to new office space within Mizner Park, 225 NE Mizner Boulevard, Suite 350. The firm will retain its existing Delray Beach office on George Bush Boulevard. “Our new office in Boca Raton is centrally located, easily accessible to nearby highways and will lend added convenience and amenities to our clients,” said James A. Ballerano, Jr., Managing Partner for the firm’s Florida offices. Ballerano, who joined Day Pitney in 2015 after its merger with Chapin, Ballerano & Cheslack, focuses his practice on estate planning, wealth preservation, family office and real estate matters. Located in the heart of the city’s business district, the new office will offer complimentary valet parking, free garage parking and 24-hour security.

She currently serves as the Chairman of the Boca Chamber’s Tourism Committee and was instrumental in the launch of the first Boca Restaurant Month in September 2017.

Established in 1902, Day Pitney is a full-service law firm with approximately 300 attorneys in 11 offices in Boston, Connecticut, Florida, New Jersey, New York and Washington, D.C.

The chamber created a second award, the Pearl Award, to recognize an up-andcoming female leader each year.

Jewish Women’s Foundation of Greater Palm Beaches accepting applications for its ‘Young Leaders Society’ program

The Pearl Award is given to a young female who is a graduate of the Boca Chamber’s Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!),

Jewish Women’s Foundation of the Greater Palm Beaches, a local nonprofit, is currently accepting applications for its“Young Leaders Society.” Open to women living or working in Palm Beach County, who are age 45 or

hjpalmbeach45@yahoo.com 1405 N. Congress Ave, Suite #9 | Delray Beach, FL. 33445

JWF Trustee Lauren Stuhmer (back, second from right) and JWF Board of Directors Vice President Alana Faintuch (front, right), are co-chairing JWF’s Young Leaders Society. The co-chairs are pictured with the first Young Leaders Society group in September 2015. The program is open to women living or working in Palm Beach County, who are age 45 or younger, and offers leadership training, networking and mentorship. Applications are available online through Friday, Jan. 12. Courtesy of JWF.

younger, the program offers leadership training, networking and mentorship. With a vision of a world where all women and girls are safe, economically secure, and able to reach their fullest potential, the program is a keystone of the Foundation’s mission. The program is co-chaired by JWF Board of Directors Vice President, Alana Faintuch, and JWF Trustee, Lauren Stuhmer and applications are available online through Friday, Jan. 12. The “Young Leaders Society” meets monthly and discusses various topics. The last three sessions of the program focus on gender lens philanthropy and the young leaders participate in a giving circle – the model of strategic grant making JWF trustees use to allocate funding to nonprofits locally, nationally and in Israel. Each young leader will commit a minimum of $250 for one local grant and decide collectively how to allocate the pooled funds. During the second year of the “Young Leaders Society,” members are paired with a dedicated mentor, who provides continued guidance and one-on-one mentoring. For more information, www.jwfpalmor beach.org/young-leaders-society/ contact Jennifer Kryshka by emailing jennifer@jwfpalmbeach.org or calling 561-275-2200.

YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER | JANUARY 2018

Direct Primary Care of Boca Raton, an alternative to mainstream healthcare via concierge membership By: David DiPino Contributing Writer In the uncertain landscape of current healthcare options a new concierge type of medicine membership where the provider is available to see the patient anytime on an unlimited basis and does not charge insurance is now being offered at Direct Primary Care of Boca Raton. “Think of it like a gym membership but for healthcare. You can use the gym as many times as you want during the month. Direct Primary Care is a concierge membership. We don’t bill your insurance,” said Rachel Huerta, ARNP, NP-C, Direct Primary Care of Boca Raton.“This is an alternative to mainstream healthcare.” Direct Primary Care of Boca Raton is family medicine taking care of young kids open to young kids all the way up to older adults. “Just loving compassionate care for families I think that’s something that’s really needed in Boca Raton,” Boca Mayor Susan Haynie said. Think of Direct Primary Care of Boca Raton as modern medicine with old-fashioned compassion. “In today’s modern world it’s harder to find the traditional care that people long for and are used to,” Councilman Scott Singer said. Huerta is even known to head out of her office to see a patient in the comfort of their home. She totes her doctor’s bag inhand reminiscent of another era of medicine. “It really is the family practice that we as a society thought didn’t think existed anymore,” said Neil Saffer, patient. Huerta is on-staff at Boca Regional Hos-

pital, the hospital her practice is adjacent too, and she can see her patients in the hospital in the case they’re admitted. She is a family nurse practitioner trained here locally and did rounds in maternity all the way up to geriatrics. “I see the need for direct primary care as a need for 20 to 40-year-olds all the way up to geriatrics. With the issues surrounding health insurance direct primary care models will become even more popular in the near future.” “My husband and I had the opportunity to go up to Capitol Hill along with a lot of other direct primary care providers and we went to our senators and we just said listen direct primary care is a great answer. It’s not the answer for everybody but it’s a great answer and we want to be able to provide our patients to access that with their health savings accounts,” Huerta said. “Right now the IRS codes say that direct primary care reads more like a gym membership. While I can write a prescription for my patient to have an Apple i-Watch for their fitness plan they can’t use their health savings account (HSA) to pay for a direct primary care membership. We lobbied our senators to allow a patient with HSA’s to use that as a payment for direct primary care.”

In a traditional practice that’s insurance based, most doctors have 2,500 patients per provider. Those providers are busier and their billing is a little different. They can only bill when a patient comes in so they need a larger volume during the day to be able to keep their practice running financially. “A lot of my patients do have healthcare insurance including Medicare or an emergency insurance plan which is what we recommend but what they pay to my

Boca Raton residents wait to get their first look at Direct Primary Care of Boca Raton a new membership based family practice staffed by Rachel Huerta, ARNP, NP-C. Photo by David DiPino.

Rachel Huerta, ARNP, NP-C, addresses residents of Boca Raton at the grand opening of her Direct Primary Care of Boca Raton, a membership based, cash pay practice that doesn’t charge insurance. Boca Raton Mayor Susan Haynie looks on with a smile. Photo by David DiPino.

office is a monthly membership fee and I do not bill their insurance,” Huerta said. “When you do direct primary care practice which is membership based, those patients have access but every month is paying in to the practice. We can have a panel of patients of lower than 1,000 per provider so I can spend a lot more time with each patient.”

Direct Primary Care of Boca Raton will also offer telemedicine and probably keep their total patient count closer to the 850 patient ranges and once they hit that number that will be the cap. Telemedicine includes text messaging, emailing, phone calls and video-conferencing. For more information, call 561-5302622 or visit: www.dpcboca.com.

JANUARY 2018 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

Schnellenberger Family Foundation helps those in recovery By: Marisa Herman Associate Editor

ber home residences and Recovery Boot Camp, which opened in 2015.

After four stints in treatment, 30 days each, Tim Schnellenberger felt defeated.

He said if someone isn’t serious about finding long-lasting sobriety then they can’t stay in his programs.

The Big Book changed that. It’s the book behind the concept of Alcoholics Anonymous and the tool that helped him in his sobriety. And now it is his mission to introduce others in recovery to this lifesaving tool. He was introduced to the Big Book after that fourth stay and the concept behind it was what finally provided him the relief he was looking for. That was 2000. He was sober and working as a realtor.

The idea behind the 12-step emersion addiction treatment center is to help teach men in recovery basic life skills, discipline and introduce them to the Big Book and the 12 steps.

Then he thought to combine the two ideas— real estate and sobriety— and purchased his first sober home in 2002, which housed five men.

Its what worked for him all those years ago and it is what he says works for his clients who have graduated the program.

Healing Properties grew and within the next several years he had 65 beds and then 81 total, where he helped men and women. His focus was more on sobriety and helping others and less on real estate. Now, the son of football coach Howard Schnellenberger and former model, has two businesses: Healing Properties Sober Living and Recovery Boot Camp and a new foundation to help those who need financial help in order to get sober. Together with his father, they formed the Schnellenberger Family Foundation, which launches this month. The foundation will be dedicated to raising money for treatment scholarships for those suffering with drug and/or alcohol addiction. The idea is to help the wives and mothers of the men who are seeking treatment. Schnellenberger said often times men can’t seek treatment because they are financially supporting their families. He said the foundation will help ease the financial burden to families. Currently Schnellenberger is operating two businesses Healing Properties, his so-

you are willing we have the opportunity to help.”

“At Recovery Boot Camp and Healing Properties, we admit clients that are dedicated to our philosophy and the goal of long-lasting sobriety,” he said. “I firmly refuse to endanger any of our clients’ sobrieties by introducing someone who may bring chaos into their lives just so we can fill a bed. Maintaining the integrity of our recovery community in both of our programs is

our top priority.”

Residents start out living in a triple room and can work their way to request a double and then a single. He said running a mens only business allows them to open up to one another without the distraction of having to impress a woman. People who have been there one day interact with those who have been there for months. They create a microcosm of real life in the apartments. Tenants must take responsibility for their belongings, clean their shared space and communicate. “Sobriety plays out in living,” he said.

“I realized a lot of kids had not been exposed to the Big Book,” he said. “By the time they were out of treatment, they thought they were cured.” So, he said he started the boot camp as a way to reach those “kids” mostly men ages 18-25 sooner. To participate in the program, one must actively attend NA/AA meetings, have a 12-step sponsor, workthe 12-steps, interact with sober supports and implement daily living skills necessary for long-term recovery. He said the day doesn’t start for a person under his care until their bed is made. Days are structured with time in a classroom setting learning the 12 steps, with clinicians, sponsors and attending meetings. Those who have graduated boot camp and are residents must be up and looking for a job, attending meetings and back by curfew. There is a zero-tolerance policy for anyone using drugs as Schnellenberger said keeping a safe environment is of utmost importance. “We can’t make anybody sober,” he said. “If

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YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER | JANUARY 2018

Karaoke crush—Ocean One Bar & Grille By: Diane Feen Contributing Writer There’s a secret in the far reaches of Delray Beach. It’s hidden behind the retail shops that face Atlantic Avenue (in Atlantic Shopping Plaza), but it’s presence looms large among those who have found this culinary treasure.

“We come here every week. At our age the only sin is to waste one day,” said Barbara Wyman, who ran a senior center in Ft. Lee, New Jersey for 24 years. Wyman had a coveted seat at a large round table near the window with luscious looking chicken wings and her friends nearby. Though she was dancing up a storm and using her vocal range with Jammin’ Jimmy’s hits, her husband Michael had a more cerebral take on the adult festivities.“This is the most enriching experience without having to be rich. The food is delicious, the menu is varied, and the prices are outrageously low. We ate at an expensive restaurant last night and it paled in comparison to this.”

waited their turn while I tasted and toasted at the bar where there was no wait. Seated next to me were Brenda and Kevin Rainey of Katcha-Ride.

Michael has a point. Hanging out at Ocean One (for Karaoke, lunch or dinner) is like visiting an old friend. Getting three drinks for the price of one is part of the chatty allure, but so is the informal atmosphere and “come as you are” vibe. It doesn’t break the bank, but it breaks the social barriers with élan.

“We come here almost every day. It’s cheaper than grocery shopping or cooking at home. I’ve eaten everything on the menu and we bring food home. I would come here for breakfast if they were open,” said Kevin, who designs colorful and creative open-air vehicles that cruise the streets of Delray picking up passengers.

Just stop in one Sunday after 6 p.m. and you’ll see large tables filled with people of all ages singing, eating and dancing. You’ll also see something else spread around the room like invisible thread – smiles and laughter.

Starting a conversation with a stranger seems de rigueur and laughter rings from the rafters (which were totally redone after Free House and DIG left the premises). I recently sat next to two retired electricians who work part time and call themselves “Two Old Goats.”

You can’t underestimate the benefits of fun and friendship these days. And Ocean One seems to have a patent on this ideal. The Karaoke is more fun than a movie (sorry Hollywood) and the dancing, dining and schmoozing can’t be beat at prices that will make you think it’s 1975 (don’t I wish).

It’s so festive you would think you were at a wedding or Bar Mitzvah, but the best part is you don’t have to bring a gift or have an invite. All are welcome. That’s a lot to say when your days of clubbing have been over for more decades than you want to admit.

The laughter and lightness of being permeates both the outside patio (where live music is played on Friday and Saturday nights) and the inside. During lunch time there’s often a line out the door with retirees just salivating at the thought of dining inside or al fresco for a mere $4.99. But everyone

You’ll have a spring in your step with Jammin’ Jimmy on Karaoke nights and you’ll have a smile on your face just being part of the Ocean One story that unfolds daily.

It’s also the most transcendent. Many other restaurants have come and gone, but this homage to neighborhood niceties with the 1970’s prices, great food and bargain drink prices (three for $10) has made it a favorite of many. You not only don’t have to break the bank (or cash in a CD) to have a great meal, but every Sunday night is Karaoke Night with Jammin’ Jimmy. When I saw “reserved” signs on all the tables one Sunday afternoon (where lunch costs $4.99) I asked why they were so busy. I was told it was Karaoke Night. So, what’s so special about that, I thought. A lot.

Barbara and Michael Wyman attend Karaoke at Ocean One. Photo by Diane Feen.

Ocean One 777 E. Atlantic Ave, 561 270-7373

Genetic testing may have a dark side By: Anne Bedinger, Vice President, Investments Raymond James

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Like many people, I’m curious about my ancestry and my possible risk for certain diseases. Genetic tests could provide me with some peace of mind and might even start me on a track of preventive measures for whatever diseases show up in my results. I could also ask my doctor to recommend a specialist for a condition that is present in my family members. And all of this could be covered by my insurance. But I haven’t pulled the trigger on either of these options. Why is that? For two practical reasons: 1. Privacy- I am unclear about who can access my results and how they can use them, from the company that does the genetic tests to my doctor to my insurance company. 2. Insurance- I am unclear whether the results could affect my attempts to procure additional life, long-term care, or disability insurance. In the AARP Bulletin from Sept. 2017, Erica Ramos, president-elect of the National Society of Genetic Counselors, addressed these concerns. She said that U.S. laws protect consumers from being denied health insurance based on genetic tests, but there are currently no protections

in place for long-term care, disability and life insurance. When I spoke to Jim Swink, our Vice President of Raymond James Life Insurance, he agreed, adding that this is one of the biggest issues facing insurance companies. When is information too much? How can you underwrite based on a long-term medical possibility? There are significant ethical issues that must be addressed. Glenn Baker, Raymond James Regional Insurance and Planning Specialist, recently discovered what happens when a client’s genealogy tests reveal new pieces of his medical history. In this situation, Glenn had to disclose the new information to the underwriters for issuance. What all of this taught me about the trend toward pursuing more genetic information than we ordinarily have access to, is that we need to be wary of going in that direction unless we are very sure we have all the insurance coverage we’ll ever need. My recommendation: Meet with your financial advisor to review your risk management and life plan before you make a potentially expensive and regrettable mistake. Raymond James & Associates, Inc. Member New York Stock Exchange/SIPC 2255 Glades Rd. #120-A Boca Raton, FL 33431, 561-981-3661, Anne.Bedinger@Raymondjames.com, AnneBedinger.com

JANUARY 2018 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

Dash around the world: MSC Seaside, welcome to Miami By: Joel Dash Special to the Boca and Delray newspapers The home port for the world’s newest ship, MSC Seaside is Miami. From a stunning 360 degree ocean level promenade that circumnavigates the ship, to multi-story panoramic elevators with breathtaking ocean views, MSC Seaside was designed to amaze. Cutting-edge innovations include an array of indoor/ outdoor dining, interactive bars and entertainment spaces, class catwalks that bring you right out onto the ocean and the most interactive Aqua Park at sea. Looking for luxury? The enhanced MSC Yacht Club has gorgeous suites with 24hour butler and concierge service. Enjoy an all-inclusive private restaurant as well as unlimited drinks available in all MSC Yacht Club areas, your minibar and venues throughout the whole ship, plus guests have exclusive access to a private sundeck and lounge area. The Seaside has some of the world’s best chef in it’s kitchens, and their passion is to take you on an extraordinary culinary journey created by the freshest and finest ingredients. They cater to every unique taste in their elegant restaurants as well

as open buffets, from local favorites to international specialties. With celebrity chefs bringing aboard their fine dining excellence, you can now experience Hawaiian fusion cuisine created by international Pan-Asian chef, Roy Yamaguchi along with the delicious Italian dishes designed by two-starred Michelin chef, Carlo Cracco and so much more. Stepping aboard the Seaside is like entering a world of glamour, imagination and spectacle. You won’t believe there’s so much to do on board, whether you’re enjoying a Broadway-style performance in the main theater, playing in the arcade, trying your luck in the casino, dancing til dawn in the dance club or shopping in their exclusive boutiques. The on-board fitness center has something exciting for everyone, from our state-of-the art Technogym cardio and strength training, to the array of fitness classes. Experience the popular Aqua Cycling classes by Hydrorider found nowhere else at sea or their outdoor and indoor tennis, soccer, volleyball and bas-

ketball areas. They also have two full size bowling alleys. Certified personal trainers are also available. You can wind down with an exotic spa or beauty treatment in the MSC Aurea Spa, the only truly authentic Balinese spa at sea. Kids love all the exciting things offered in their unique Kids Clubs, from the Ultimate Lego Experience to the celebrity cooking class led by MSC chefs. Kids can make homemade pasta from scratch. Kids can also learn a new language. MSC also offers little essentials like free bottle

warmers, strollers and bouncing chairs for families with young kids. Kids under 12 sail free, on most sailings. Your loyalty level from other cruise lines will be matched by MSC. MSC has promos throughout the year. Seaside sails every Saturday from Miami to Eastern and Western Caribbean. For latest rates check with Dash Travel, 280 NE 2nd Ave, Delray Beach 561-498-8439 dashtravelandcruises.com, jeff@dashtravelandcruises.com

YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER | JANUARY 2018

A sit down with Stephen Chrisanthus: It’s a Rap…oport Friend and South Florida Restauranteur Burt Rappaport recently finished his newest creation with James Beard award- winning chef Mark Militello. I sat down with him to chat about being a successful restaurant owner in Palm Beach County.

back, and the time and location are right. How did you come to work with Mark? We have known each other for 30 years. He helped with menu development at Deck 84, and he wanted to be a part of Prezzo when he heard I was doing it.

When and where did you open your first restaurant? Why South Florida?

What are some of the things that you think will make this a hot spot? Menu, ambiance, cocktails?

In 1980 an opportunity came about to open a casual dining restaurant in Miami so I left Boston. What restaurants do you own already? Henry’s, Deck 84, Burt & Max’s and I’m a partner in Max’s Grille You have three restaurants in Delray Beach, what makes this city so special? It’s the best spot for restaurants. It has diverse clientele, people are friendly, it’s a vibrant city that gets better every year. What’s the biggest challenge starting a restaurant here? It’s like coming up to the plate with two strikes already. The concept and execution have to be almost perfect to survive.

With so much competition what’s your secret to success?

The same things that made it successful the first time. A warm and enthusiastic staff. The food is a combo of classic Italian dishes and fun and exciting selections. The restaurant will have a warm, welcoming, energizing feel.

Company values. We live by them, train by them and they keep us focused on what is best for our customers.

Besides overseeing all your restaurants what do like to do in Delray Beach?

I know you have restaurant partners like Dennis Max, do you have restaurant rivals?

I like to start the day with a run on the beach. If the waves are good, I catch one.

We think of it more as a fraternity. We like to see everyone do well. I am impressed how well fellow restaurateurs come together for common causes.

Besides yours, what other place or places do you think do a good job in Delray?

On to your newest….Popular in the 90’s …Why bring Prezzo back to life? I was amazed at how many people asked me to bring it

El Camino, Cut 432, Luna Rosa, Max’s Harvest What’s next? I take one at a time.

FAU’s College of Business to honor JM Family Enterprises’ Colin Brown with 2017 Business Leader of the Year Award Staff report JM Family Enterprises’ CEO Colin Brown will be honored by Florida Atlantic University’s College of Business during the 26th annual Business Leader of the Year breakfast this month. The event takes place on Friday, Jan. 26 at 8 a.m., at the Boca Raton Resort & Club, 501 East Camino Real, in Boca Raton. This year’s program celebrates the accomplishments of Colin Brown, chairman and chief executive officer of JM Family Enterprises, Inc. “JM Family has been a key business in South Florida for many years and has established an exceptional reputation with its customers, business partners and

the community as a whole,” said Daniel Gropper, Ph.D., dean of FAU’s College of Business. “Colin Brown exemplifies the kind of leadership characteristics that FAU celebrates with our Business Leader of the Year Award.” JM Family Enterprises, Inc. is a diversified automotive corporation ranked No. 21 on Forbes’ list of “America’s Largest Private Companies.” As CEO, Brown leads the entire organization, including JM Family’s Executive Management Team, which oversees the development and implementation of the company’s objectives and strategies for future growth. Brown also serves as chairman of the company’s board of directors.

Brown directs all of JM Family’s businesses, including Southeast Toyota Distributors, the world’s largest independent distributor of Toyota vehicles; JM&A Group, one of the leading independent providers of finance and insurance products in the automotive industry; World Omni Financial Corp., a diversified financial services company; and JM Lexus. Brown joined the family-owned business in 1992 as vice president and general counsel. He was appointed chief operating officer in 1997 and president in 2000. Brown was named CEO in January 2003, becoming the first non-family member to hold the titles of first president and then CEO. In 2017, Brown was appointed chairman of the board while retaining the title of CEO.

Since 2005, Brown has served on United Way of Broward County’s Board of Directors. As chairman and CEO of JM Family, Brown leads the company’s annual United Way giving campaign. Brown has led the company’s support of the Habitat for Humanity of Broward through both corporate contributions and volunteerism. Brown currently serves on the board of directors for the Youth Automotive Training Center, a tuition-free, ninemonth training program that educates disadvantaged youth in basic automotive repair, academic remediation, job readiness and life-management skills. Tickets are available online at business. fau.edu/bloy. For more information, contact Tonya May at 561-297-4732 or tmay@fau.edu.

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JANUARY 2018 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

Plans for boutique hotel in Pineapple Grove underway Staff report Delray residents will soon have another place to staycation. Plans to build a boutique hotel in Pineapple Grove known as “The Grove Beach Hotel” or “The Ray” are in the works. The 143-room hotel proposed by Delray-based Menin Development will be a LEED certified building, feature shops on the first floor and a rooftop garden and bar as well as underground parking garage with 185 spaces. “We are really excited about this project,” director of planning Tim Stilings said. “It has a lot of great potential. It’s a great location for a hotel.” The style of the hotel is like nothing else in Delray. Architects behind the project pitched a new style outside of the city’s approved seven architectural styles, which required commission approval. Architect Jose Gonzalez calls it “tropical modernism.” It will have an industrial character with exposed concrete and metal panels as well as glass and vegetation incorporated into the building. Open gathering spaces with benches, water fountain, bicycle parking and art will be incorporated into the space that is currently a parking lot

A rendering of “The Grove Beach Hotel” or “The Ray” a new hotel proposed for An overview rendering of “The Grove Beach Hotel” Pineapple Grove. Photo courtesy of Gon- or “The Ray” a new hotel proposed for Pineapple zalez Architects. Grove. Photo courtesy of Gonzalez Architects.

and strip mall on Northeast Second Ave. “This is an arts distict,” Mayor Cary Glickstein said. “There should be some latitude provided where the context is appropriate. I think it is unique in a positive way.” The look received a 4-1 vote of approval with Commissioner Shirley Johnson dissenting. “We are beginning to look like a hodge podge,” she said. The project needed several additional approvals from commissioners because it deviated from the city’s rule book. City staff recommended denying some of the needs requested. One of the issues came to public safety and how the fire department would access the building in case of an emergency from a back alley.

Ultimately, a compromise was agreed upon between Menin and the city. The developer will meet with the city to work on creating a wider alley to ease the public safety concerns. But if the plans fall through, the city can review the project again and vote to deny it. Commissioner Shelly Petrolia, who is typically critical on new developments and has a track record of voting no on projects like iPic and Atlantic Crossing, gave this project and all of its deviations against the city’s rules a green light. Several residents spoke in support of the project. “We think it will be the best hotel in Delray,” local architect Bob Currie said. “It will greatly enhance that part of the community.” The project still needs to go before the city’s site plan review and appearance board.

Midtown Delray project back before city boards

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Palm Beach County

Staff report A redevelopment plan known as Midtown Delray and Swinton Commons is back before city boards. The project, which did not receive support it needed to move forward last year, has been revised. Delray Beach-based Hudson Holdings representatives said there have been three major changes made to the project. Now, there is no boutique hotel, a three-story building within the project is now two-stories and one building has been removed from the project. The hotel is now proposed to be condo units. A presentation on the new plans was given to the city’s Community Redevelopment Agency board last month.

An overview of revised plans for proposed Midtown Delray. Photo courtesy of Hudson Holdings.

2018 Real estate predictions [36]

The board reviews plans but does not formally vote on them. The city’s historic preservation board voted against the new plans on Dec. 19.

Lang Realty holds clothing drive Staff report Lang Realty has kicked off a “Clean the Closet” clothing drive to benefit Mary’s Closet at the Women’s Circle that will run through the end of January.

The charity is in need of gently used interview-appropriate women’s clothing, shoes and accessories to help more than 350 women in Palm Beach County reach their dreams of employment. For a list of Lang Realty offices visit www.langrealty.com.

Lang Realty Agents Paul Hollander, Silvia Garcia, Anthony Anik, and Chris Carpenter, join together to collect apparel to support the Women’s Circle Professional Clothing Drive. Submitted photo.

Realtors group gives back [39]

YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER | JANUARY 2018

What’s up in the real estate market… Delray architecture firm selected to design Pompano Beach bridge

Delray Beach-Based Currie Sowards Aguila Architects will be designing the Atlantic Boulevard bridge in Pompano Beach. The architects recently received international acclaim for their design of the nearby Pompano Beach Pier Parking Garage. The new bridge will echo this structure’s style. The bridge and surrounding streetscape will be built in partnership with Burkhardt Construction at an approximate cost of $1.5 million. The groundbreaking ceremony took place last month. “We are honored to be designing another important structure for the City of Pompano Beach,” said CSA’s partner, Jess Sowards. “The east side transformation of this city has been remarkable thanks to the City and the CRA’s strategic redevelopment plans. Their understand-

ing that parking garages and bridges are symbols of the city, not just functioning structures, has set the style for the type of businesses, hotels and developments that now want to be part of this growing community.”

Avison Young completes new lease for Broad and Cassel at Boca’s Lynn Financial Center

Silberstein Architecture won a Design Excellence Award of Merit Residential for Chance Residence. Submitted photo.

The Atlantic Boulevard bridge will display a playful design concept which incorporates sail-like components and a marine-themed mural at the bridge tender house base. “When people see the bridge, they will probably assume we were influenced by the sail-like components and art work of our garage design, however, we actually designed the bridge first,” explained Sowards. “We knew these two structures needed to have a cohesive style, but we created each with its own personality. This area will truly be a gateway to the city, and we thrilled that our designs will be welcoming residents and visitors alike for decades to come.” Currie Sowards Aguila Architects designed the Ocean Avenue bridge in Boynton Beach, the Flagler Memorial Bridge and the Crosstown Parkway Bridge in Port St. Lucie as well as bridge tender houses including Atlantic Avenue in Delray Beach, Hillsboro Boulevard and Commercial Boulevard.

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Avison Young completed a new 16,000-square-foot lease with Florida-based law firm Broad and Cassel LLP at an 85,000-square-foot class A office building located at 1905 N.W. Corporate Boulevard within Boca’s Lynn Financial Center.

Silberstein Architecture won a Design Excellence Award of Honor Residential for Street Residence in Delray Beach.

The lease represents an expansion for the tenant relocating from within Boca Raton. Avison Young Principals Greg Martin and Keith O’Donnell facilitated the transaction on behalf of the landlord. “Boca Raton continues to be a robust suburban market with positive net absorption driven by above-average leasing activity,” Martin said. “The quality tenants in the market in addition to Broad and Cassel are seeking quality projects that provide additional amenities and services to bolster their operations. Lynn Financial Center is rich with amenities, provides ease of access, and is perfectly situated in the area’s business epicenter.” According to Avison Young’s third-quarter 2017 Palm Beach County office market report, Boca Raton has absorbed 200,000-square-feet of space year-todate, accounting for 35 percent of the county’s total net absorption during that same period. “For more than three decades, Broad and Cassel has had a presence in Boca Raton, strategically positioning the firm in a high-growth area of the state to enhance and support our statewide operations,” said Broad and Cassel Partner Jim Wheeler. “Our relocation within the mid-town Boca area positions us well for future growth opportunities and offers a state-of-the-art building and superior amenities that will only serve to further enhance our client experience.” Local architects recognized during 2017 AIA Palm Beach Design & Honor Awards Six projects designed by local architects were recognized for their outstanding design work by the Florida Palm Beach Chapter of the American Institute of Architects. Silberstein Architecture won a Design

RLC Architects won an Award of Merit Unbuilt Residential for Yamato Villas. Submitted photo.

RLC Architects took home an Award of Merit Unbuilt Non-Residential for Yamato Office Building in Boca Raton.

Excellence Award of Merit Residential for Chance Residence and a Design Excellence Award of Honor Residential for Street Residence in Delray Beach. RLC Architects took home an Award of Merit Unbuilt Residential for Yamato Villas and Award of Merit Unbuilt Non-Residential for Yamato Office Building in Boca Raton. Delray mortgage bankers arrange financing for new Charlotte community Delray Beach-based mortgage bankers Dockerty Romer Co. arranged permanent mortgage financing for a new multifamily complex in Charlotte, NC. The mortgage for Circa Uptown, a five-story, 243 unit community in the Third Ward neighborhood of Uptown Charlotte, totaled $36 million. Dockerty Romer & Co. worked on behalf of their client which was a joint venture between Woodfield Development and a global real estate investment manager. PNC Bank provided a competitive 5 year, floating-rate interest only mortgage.

JANUARY 2018 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

What is the real estate forecast for 2018? By: Jessica Rosato Luxury Broker Associate Nestler Poletto Sotheby’s International Realty Special to the Boca and Delray newspapers With the 2018 season upon us, what can we expect from the real estate market this year? We are coming off 2017, which slowed slightly due to Hurricane Irma, but things have since picked up. According to the Realtors Association of the Palm Beaches, home prices have continued their upward trend with the median price for single family homes in Palm Beach Country increasing 8 percent since last year to $345,000 and closings up 2 percent as well. With over 30,000 people moving to Florida each month, it’s hard to imagine that 2018 won’t follow suit. With our breathtaking beaches, ideal weather, varied cuisine, and access to incredible art, culture, shopping and more, South Florida is on the map as people flock here to take advantage of all it has to offer. Delray Beach, our “village by the sea,” attracts people from all over the world – it’s charm and overall appeal and benefits make it a great place to open a business, raise a family and simply enjoy the highly sought-after lifestyle it provides. As we hone in on the current real estate market, we can see that quality, well-

priced inventory continues to be low. Inventory across the United States overall is tight, and that also holds true here in Palm Beach County. We can also see just from driving around the area, that new construction shows no signs of stopping. Rentals are even in very high demand. It would be wonderful to see the trend towards more affordable new construction continue which hopefully 2018 will bring to the table. I’ve also seen many potential sellers make

the decision to remodel versus selling their homes. With few competitively priced homes to choose from, many owners are opting to renovate their current residence versus trying to find a “better” replacement as the cost to purchase another one of better value and location is hard to come by. In many circumstances, it seems to make more sense to stay where they are versus selling. Perhaps 2018 will deliver new realistic options that will allow potential sellers the opportunity to make a comfortable move. Interest rates, although higher than last year, are still historically low overall. This makes for a favorable environment for buyers who want to purchase a home in 2018. Digital lending is also on the rise in effort to streamline the lending process with further ease. This type of assistance could really be a game changer in 2018. Not to mention the tax benefits of living here in Florida. With no individual income taxes and no estate taxes, people take note of Florida and the financial benefits it offers. If the new proposed tax plan passes, Florida is going to be even more attractive to people in states like California, New York, and Illinois as under the new tax plan those states will no longer be able to deduct very high state income tax from their federal returns.

This is a very big deal and could be a big boost for all Florida listings. Devastating weather is a factor all over the United States as people are opting to move versus rebuild, and Florida is a very attractive alternative. It will be interesting to see what 2018 holds. I certainly don’t have a crystal ball, but I do know that our local real estate market is strong, that Florida is in high demand, and that if the price is right, homes are selling. About Jessica Rosato Jessica Rosato is a Luxury Broker Associate for Nestler Poletto Sotheby’s International Realty of Delray Beach. As a concierge realtor, she utilizes her superb customer service skills, attention to detail, honesty, stellar work ethic, negotiating skills and keen understanding of the luxury real estate market in Palm Beach County to create experiences of a lifetime. Jessica is a Dartmouth graduate and holds a Masters of Fine Arts from Pratt Institute. She is a member of the Delray Beach Chamber of Commerce, the Women’s Council of Realtors and the Institute for Luxury Home Marketing. She is also involved in local charities, specifically those that benefit the Achievement Centers for Children and Families in Delray Beach and the American Cancer Society. Visit her website at www.bocadelrayluxury.com.

YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER | JANUARY 2018

Publix to West Atlantic may still be option possible interest in the site.

Staff report Publix may still be interested in opening in The Set.

“I am still excited,” resident Chuck Ridley said. “I am doubly excited because opportunities have expanded.

But plans to add the grocer to West Atlantic Ave. may take longer than initially anticipated.

What hasn’t changed is the need for a full service grocery store. That hasn’t changed.” The Set residents have asked for a grocery store in the area for decades. What grocer will be determined by the agency at a later meeting.

After pulling out of a proposed deal to build a new Publix in November, the grocer sent a follow-up letter saying it is still interested in the location, but needs more time. The new proposal states the store would not begin construction before Dec. 31, 2022. The city’s Community Redevelopment Agency board agreed to allow the agency staff to explore the new proposal as well as any others. Lucky’s Market has expressed

A rendering of a proposed Publix on West Atlantic Ave.

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JANUARY 2018 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

Realtors group donates 2,500 pounds of food to area food banks er Fort Lauderdale. We’d like to give a special thanks to A Second Chance Rescue for their generous contribution.”

Staff report The Realtors® of Palm Beach County and Greater Fort Lauderdale’s Young Professional Network recently collected and donated more than 2,500 pounds of food to local food banks as part of their holiday food drive. “We are grateful for our many members who rallied behind this effort to help put holiday meals on the tables of those less fortunate in each of the communities we serve,” said Dionna Hall, CEO of The Realtors® of Palm Beach County and Great-

The group’s Broward County Network donated the goods to the Broward County Food Pantry, the Palm Beach County network donated items to the Palm Beach County Food Bank and the Treasure Coast office donated to the Treasure Coast Food Bank. Pictured from L-R are Amy Langleben, Alexandra Hall, Danielle Boutin, Leslie Gladney and Chase Johnson from the Realtors of the Palm Beaches and Greater Fort Lauderdale. Submitted photo.

The Realtors® of the Palm Beach County and Greater Fort Lauderdale’s Young Professional Network is geared to professionals under 40 years old to provide

leadership opportunities; a forum for members of similar age and interest to network and discuss business-related issues; and plan activities and programs to interest and attract younger members. The Realtors® of the Palm Beaches and Greater Fort Lauderdale is the 3rd largest local real estate association in the country. As one unified voice, RAPB + GFLR represents 28,000 Realtors®, 30,000 MLS subscribers, and 5 regional boards across South Florida and the Treasure Coast. For more information, visit www.rapbgflrmerge.com.

YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER | JANUARY 2018

Boca The final walk-through: Last step before owning council postpones decision on Yamato Villas to later this month By: Karen Laurence Special to the Boca and Delray newspapers

Finding the right home is an exhausting search, some say. “When you find it, you can now rest and be at peace.” Not true. This is only the first step in a succession of many that will take you to the closing, the final goal.

Staff report A proposal to bring 20 townhouses and three single-family homes to a vacant piece of land on Yamato Road will be considered again this month. A pitch to build Yamato Villas on a nearly 2 acre site was postponed late November after Boca Raton council members expressed concerns over parking and the overcrowding of the city’s schools. The council will review the development again this month on Jan. 23. Yamato Villas proposes adding five buildings with four townhouses in each building some are two bedroom units some are three bedrooms. Half of the project has two car garages the other half one car garages. Even though the project complies with the city’s parking rules, council member addressed concerns about the amount of parking provided. “I have a problem with the parking,” Councilwoman Andrea Levine O’Rourke said. “There is no room for guest parking.” Council members agreed they like the mix of housing options the town houses bring, but they said the lack of parking and the fact that the city’s schools in the area are either over capacity or nearing capacity. The delay in vote will give the council time to hear from the school district about the capacity of Boca’s schools and give the developer time to see if any additional changes to the parking can be made.

There is an inspection, when you find out what is both positive and negative about the property. You have done the negotiations with the seller for the corrections and are getting ready to close. These corrections are sometimes noted in the appraisal and sometimes requires another visit to confirm these repairs have been done is sometimes required by the lender. Sometimes repair tasks are small enough to have the homeowner do themselves, or hire a handyman to complete. How do you find out that all of the work has been done? A final walkthrough is the answer. It serves both the seller and it is the buyer’s way to take care of the last few dangling issues and makes sure they have been resolved. Better to do this walkthrough than negotiate at the closing table for undone items. For the home seller it means the property should have what was promised in the contract and

the house is swept broom clean. For the home buyer, it is the final countdown before the big move.

The buyer makes the final tour with their realtor, usually to see that the house is ready for them to take possession and is in the condition promised by the seller. It usually happens the day before or on the day of the closing. Small minor things should just take a back seat to the major repairs. On rare occasions, there can be an issue such as a permit that hasn’t been closed yet. That would be a cause for escrow to be held.

There can also be cause for stopping the sale, getting your money refunded and starting the process over again. If some of the major conditions have not been corrected, that would be a cause for escrow to be held. Once the repairs are made, post-closing, the escrow is released to the seller. Not all lenders will close without a perfect house and a perfect title. That is another obstacle to be worked through. Most buyers are ready to move and some

Misunderstood Minimalism By: Cheryl Adelman Special to the Boca and Delray newspapers What it isn’t: Lack

decide how to dress, what to eat, what you work for, what your work is, and how to create surroundings and relationships that are pleasing to you.

Not a radical idea, Minimalism is a lifestyle, a practice, that is often misunderstood. It’s not about not having enough, nor does it promote lack of personal wealth.

And, yes, there are families with children who live this way.

What it is: Personal choice, a way of life Minimalism is the intentional promotion of the things we most value and the removal of anything that distracts us from it. Joshua Becker Minimalism is about Quality over Quantity, Beauty rather than hyper-consumerism, Creativity and Productivity instead of confusion and wasted time, and oh, yes, Happiness. We listen to our inner compass instead of the outer influences of advertising and social pressures. This means: knowing yourself, so that you

have their furniture already in a moving van. Sellers have moved out, found another place to live, or need the proceeds for a purchase they have already contracted. All are great reasons at the closing table to work thing out. Another alternative is to sue, which can take years and a lot of money. So remember to bring checks to the closing table, for incidentals as well as the bigger things. In case monies have to be paid. It is usually the best course of action to finish the closing and not to delay it. A delayed closing can turn into a cancelled closing. Check on the moving men, who should be insured in case there are broken items or damage to the house when moving in. Make sure that your boxes are labeled so that you at least put them on the right floor and hopefully in the right room. Have a floor plan so you can direct the movers where to place the furniture. Now the fun begins, unpacking, which can take weeks. Try to make it a family affair. That way everyone knows where they have put their own belongings. Organize the closets ahead of time, so all you have to do is just hang the clothes up. Karen Laurence is a sales associate with Keller Williams Company. She is a Technical Real Estate Instructor, Real Estate Agent and Certified Luxury Agent. 516-524-3953. Venturing back further in time, when there was not the level of abundance we know today, nor such availability of throw away items (low quality and cheap) and unsustainable hyper-consumerism (brand driven, novelty seeking), minimalism was the way of life, without being identified as such.

Minimalism is about clarity, not comparison. Theodore Roosevelt said, “Comparison is the thief of joy.”

Benefits and value: Freedom

In the arts, minimalism is a style that uses pared-down design elements.

marketed its way into our hearts and financ-

The personal challenge: Feeling what we need to heal

detriment of the planet.

On some level this can be difficult, because in the quiet we can feel our own void. It leaves empty space for contemplation, to feel feelings. But, then, instead of filling that void with things, busy-ness and noise, we have the opportunity to choose what we really need and want. We start to heal, and ultimately, live more fulfilling lives. History: Contemporary Minimalism began in post–World War II Western art, most prominently, with the visual arts in the 1960s and early 1970s in America.

Big business has successfully advertised and es. Often it profits at our expense and to the

Minimalism gives us freedom from the influence. We get stronger. We develop minds of our own. That said, we still enjoy and celebrate innovation and beautiful things from which we derive tremendous value. The difference is; we choose intentionally. Cheryl Adelman is a Home Organizing Coach, Owner of Organize In a Day™. organizeinaday.com 609-287-3119. She also loves to write about and gives entertaining talks about organizing.

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What will the home of the future look like? By: Christel Silver Special to the Boca and Delray newspapers For most of us, we are thinking of a rectangular dwelling maybe with a front porch, front lawn and a garage. But the experts predict that climate change and population growth as well as the improving technologies will redefine the look of future homes. And they will most likely be smaller – and more economical. The evolution of the home moves from shelter to hygiene to security. First homes were built to provide shelter and insulation then later water and sewer were added. Now, we are seeing advanced technology with simple sensors and networking capabilities that provide security to the home. Look at the Lennar’s Next Gen® model, which are two houses in one! Imagine having privacy and closeness, as well as independence and help nearby when needed. The homes will become a natural extension of you. Rather than the occupant adapting to the home, we’ve entered an exciting new phase where the home works for those who live inside it. Just imagine what sensors will be able to do: Parents can have peace of mind knowing that the children arrived safely at home and exterior sensors will make the home more secure. The list of potential applications is endless. Imagine that thermostats can sense temperature on windows and the exterior to place an automatic control on the energy, air conditioning or heating. Have you noticed the new toilets have two ways to flush? One can significantly save on water use. Sprinkler systems can sense whether water is needed. As technology advances, homeowners will benefit and enjoy many features future homes have to offer. The home of the future will have its own power generator by applying a thin film of solar technology to every window in your home. We are using already film to block out the sunlight to save energy. Future robots will take over some chores. Refrigerators can tell you already how many eggs are left. You can talk to your phone and get an answer – this technology will interact with the appliances in your home even more so in the future. It is already a plus if the house has an office with wireless access. Future homes will all have home offices as well. In the future the value of a home will be

measured by the monthly cost of living. The buyer will look at the cost for heating, cooling and maintenance, so better construction and better insulation will be the key. People will spend money to build improvements to lower utility bills. In the near future, experts predict “smarthomes” will go further than just standalone devices. Smart interiors will be built into the very structure of our homes. About Christel Silver Christel Silver is a full time Broker/Owner of Silver International Realty servicing the East Coast of South Florida. In 1985 she was licensed in Maryland and Washington DC as a Realtor and later as a Certified Residential Appraiser and Associate Broker and has been in Florida since 2001. The National Association of Realtor’s (NAR) President appointed her (2010-2014) as the President’s Liaison to Germany, where she grew up and worked at the Justice Department for 17 years prior to coming to this country. The Germany Real Estate Organization (IVD) has an agreement with the NAR and she is an International member of this organization. Christel is a Certified International Property Specialist (CIPS), and a certified speaker teaching CIPS classes. Ms. Silver served the Florida Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) Chapter as President, as Regional Vice President helping Chapters to grow, and as a member of the Board of Directors for two years. She served previously as an ambassador. She has recently been named NAR President’s Liaison to Germany and Director for RAPB GFLR South County Board. Fifty percent of her business is in the International arena. For more information visit www.silverhouses.com.

JANUARY 2018 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

Ask an expert: About your condo, HOA rules By: Ronald E. D’Anna Esq. Special to the Boca and Delray newspapers Q: Our condominium association’s board of directors is wondering if our condominium association is required to allocate parking spaces for handicapped persons. What do the condominium rules require relating to a condominium association’s duty to provide disabled parking spaces? A.S., Boca Raton A: The scope of a unit owner’s title to a condominium unit includes the real and personal property located within the parameters of their unit, the defined appurtenances to the unit and the proportionate share of the common elements. To precisely determine the nature and extent of those components of unit ownership, the starting point is to read the declaration of condominium. Such ownership rights are inseparable from the ownership of the subject unit and may include the owner’s right to exclusively use and occupy limited common elements or property reserved exclusively for the use of certain owners to the exclusion of all others.

ing spaces, there is no comparable federal or Florida state law which requires a privately owned community, such as a condominium, to pre-mark and allocate a specific number of parking spots for handicapped persons. The reason is because places of public accommodation are subject to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Condominium associations do not qualify as places of public accommodation, and therefore are not subject to the requirements of the ADA. However, condominium associations are subject to the Fair Housing Act (FHA), which prohibits discrimination in the providing and use of housing based in part, on an occupant’s disability.

As to your question, a declaration may define the scope of ownership of a condominium unit to include a parking space either as part of or appurtenant to the unit, or as a limited common element reserved exclusively for use of the unit owner to whom it is assigned. Conversely, the declaration may also define parking spaces as part of the common elements available for use of all unit owners. Although a condominium association is limited in its right to grant any one unit owner or a class of unit owners the right to exclusively occupy common area, in June by the Sea North Condominium Association (The Towers), Inc. v. Manfredonia, 397 So.2d 297 (Fla. 4th DCA 1981), the Florida appellate court found that the condominium association had the right to pass a board-made rule which allocated common area parking spaces to specific unit owners who had not previously purchased the limited number of parking spaces which were designated as a limited common elements. Thus, the authority and duty, if any, of your condominium association to assign parking spaces to persons with a handicap will necessarily depend on what your declaration states as to parking spaces.

A disabled person may claim the protections of the FHA by establishing that he or she has a disability and that as a result of that disability, he or she has a need for the condominium association to provide a reasonable accommodation, so that the disabled resident will have an equal opportunity to enjoy and use the unit. What amounts to a qualifying “disability,” under the FHA may be determined based on the physical manifestations of the resident’s condition, such as blindness, or through a letter from a qualified health care professional, such as when the disability relates to a mental health matter.

Unlike places of public accommodation like hotels, restaurants or federal and state official buildings, which are required to set aside handicapped park-

If such a request is made by a disabled resident, then the condominium association is required to review the request and provide a reasonable accommodation if, based on the declaration, it is within its power to do so. Whether the assignment of a parking space is within the power of a condominium association will depend on how parking spaces are defined and assigned to the unit owners. In other words, if the request for a reasonable accommodation relates to assignment of a preferred parking space, the association has the following obligations: (a) if all of the parking spaces are limited common elements and/or have been specifically conveyed in the declaration to the unit owners, then the associ-

ation does not have the obligation to and cannot take away those parking spaces. However, the association can still attempt to ask whether a resident with such a parking space will trade such a parking space with a disabled resident; (b) if the parking spaces are common elements, but have been assigned by the board, the association probably must accommodate the disabled resident by providing a parking space closer to the resident’s unit or one large enough to allow parking a specially equipped vehicle, or access by a wheelchair. The difficulty is persuading a unit owner to whom the association has already assigned a parking space to switch his or her space with the disabled resident. In this circumstance, although a unit owner may have the right to a parking space, that does not mean that he or she had a corresponding right to a specific parking space; and (c) if the common area parking spaces are unassigned and used on a first to park basis, the association must accommodate the request of the disabled resident. Please be mindful the FHA applies both to owners and their authorized tenants. If your association does not have rules in place to address this issue, it may be wise

for your board to consider doing so. Ronald E. D’Anna, Esq., is Partner of the Law Firm Goede, Adamczyk, DeBoest & Cross. Visit www.gadclaw.com or ask questions about your issues for future columns, send your inquiry to: question@ gadclaw.com. The information provided herein is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice. The publication of this article does not create an attorney-client relationship between the reader and Goede, Adamczyk, DeBoest & Cross, or any of our attorneys. Readers should not act or refrain from acting based upon the information contained in this article without first contacting an attorney, if you have questions about any of the issues raised herein. The hiring of an attorney is a decision that should not be based solely on advertisements or this column.

YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER | JANUARY 2018

FAU Owls football team cap historic 11-Win Season with 50-3 thrashing of Akron Zips in 2017 Cheribundi Tart Cherry Boca Raton Bowl magazine previewing each college football season, was also in the Owl’s Nest broadcasting for ESPN Radio. The game was the only game featured in the nation and broadcast on ESPN’s popular cable TV Channel.

By: David DiPino Contributing Writer Devin “Motor” Singletary’s broke the single-season Conference USA touchdown record on a scoring run of six-yards in the second quarter, linebacker Aziz Al-Shaair set the FAU all-time tackles record on defense and quarterback Jason Driskel passed for two touchdowns and ran for two more in the FAU Owls (11-3) 50-3 thrashing of the Akron Zips (7-7) in the 2017 Cheribundi Tart Cherry Boca Raton Bowl held on Howard Schnellenberger Field at FAU Stadium. Motor scored on a two-yard run early in the third quarter to add to his total of 32 rushing touchdowns and one receiving touchdown during the FAU Owls historic 2017 season. Shaair, the vocal leader of the FAU defense, had a key quarterback sack on talented and flashy Zips QB Kato Nelson early in the second quarter. Nelson, a Redshirt-Freshman from Hollywood, FL, played a great first quarter against the Owls. After Shaair’s sack, Nelson’s effectiveness was non-existent in the game. “It was special to do it (win a college bowl game) at home in Boca Raton,” Shaair said at the post-game news conference.

Florida Atlantic University head coach Florida Atlantic University wins the 2017 Cheribundi Tart Lane Kiffin holds the 2017 Cheribundi Cherry Boca Raton Bowl 50-3 against the Akron Zips at FAU. Tart Cherry Boca Raton Bowl trophy. Photo by Ron Elkman. Photo by Ron Elkman.

Perhaps the story of the day surrounds FAU Owls Football future. Motor is a sophomore, Shaair and Driskel are juniors and FAU Head Coach Lane Kiffin inked a 10-year contract to lead the Owls through the 2027 season only seven hours prior to kickoff at the Boca Raton Bowl. “We have a group of unordinary guys who put in a lot of time,” Driskel said at the post-game presser. Coach Kiffin will be back next year to lead a 2017 team that broke the FAU alltime record of touchdowns scored in a season, 83 by the 2007 FAU Owls, winners of the 2007 New Orleans Bowl 44-

27 over the Memphis Tigers. FAU Owls legendary Head Coach Howard Schnellenberger coached in that game and Rusty Smith, the first Owl to ever start a game in the National Football League (NFL), quarterbacked the Owls to a win in that game. This was only FAU’s second 11-win season since the football program started in 2001. The “Lane Train” had many passengers zoom into Boca Raton for the Boca Raton Bowl game. ESPN’s Steve Levy, the famed SportsCenter anchor with the distinguished voice called the game on ESPN Radio nationally from the Boca Raton Bowl. Phil Steele, author of Phil Steele’s College Football Preview, the go-to

Singletary finished the game with 26 rushes for 124 yards and three rushing touchdowns. The last touchdown run was for a 26-yard score with 10:49 left in the fourth quarter. Driskel had 78 yards rushing and 270 yards passing with two touchdowns. For his out of the ordinary efforts, Driskel won the 2017 Boca Raton Bowl Offensive Player of the Game trophy. He completed 19 out 25 passes. In addition, wide receivers Willie Wright had seven catches for 71 yards and two touchdowns, Kalib Woods had four catches for 79 yards and Kamrin Solomon caught four passes for 71 yards including a 63-yard reception. The FAU offense amassed 482 yards offensively versus the Akron Zips 146 total yards. Zips Head Coach Terry Bowden, son of former Florida State University (FSU) and legendary Coach Bobby Bowden, didn’t think FAU ran up the score and when asked if FAU belongs in the College Football Top25 rankings responded, “I do. I would vote for FAU,” Terry Bowden said.

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Welcome new year with healthy eating at Fit Foodz Cafe By: Shaina Wizov Contributing Writer Hello, 2018! The New Year is here, and the holidays are behind us. By now, our stretchy pants have burst at the seam, our belt buckles have broken, and our scales are clearly lying to us. It’s time to get back on track after devouring all of the Christmas cookies, potato latkes and champagne that we could get our hands on this past holiday season. Luckily, Fit Foodz Cafe, located at the Reserve Shopping Center in West Boca, is here to help. The healthy fast-casual restaurant trend is on the rise, and Boca Raton is no stranger to its popularity. Fit Foodz Cafe is the perfect example of this fit and fresh mindset, making sure to accommodate any dietary need, whether you’re vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free, paleo, or whatever lifestyle you abide by. Fit Foodz Cafe also offers catering, juice cleanses and rotating weekly meal plans. Owner Susan Klein started Fit Foodz Cafe after she made the personal decision to lose weight, eat healthier and start exercising. She combined her degree in International Business and her 20+ years in the restaurant industry with her new lifestyle to create a cafe-style restaurant with both dine-in and take-out options, as well as homemade snacks and desserts, juices and smoothies. One of the cafe’s most popular features is its 10-meal meal plans, available for $8 per meal. To check out all the details on that option and view the current menu, visit www.fitfoodzcafe.com. The meal plan might be the MVP for those who are constantly on the go and don’t have time to cook, but dining in at Fit Foodz Cafe is also a great idea for anyone looking for tasty, healthier breakfast, lunch and dinner choices. Every menu item is labeled GF (gluten-free), VEG (vegetarian), V (vegan), or P (paleo) and includes a calorie count, so there are no questions about what you’re ordering. There is a ton of variety to choose from — juic-

es and smoothies, salads, sandwiches, grilled and baked entrees, snacks and desserts. Enjoy hot breakfast items such as muesli French toast made with egg whites and agave, the harvest scramble with quinoa, egg whites, asparagus, red onion, onions, corn, basil and baked sweet potato rounds, or the power pancakes packed with grains and oats. Appetizers include everything from Asian-inspired seaweed salad and tuna tartar to a healthier twists on classic mozzarella sticks — baked quinoa cheese sticks with garlic, parmesan and egg whites, topped with shredded skim milk mozzarella. One thing you absolutely cannot leave without trying is the avocado bowl. Two avocado halves are stuffed to the brim with a bright and refreshing tomato salsa and feta cheese, and drizzled with a reduced balsamic vinaigrette. The avocado toast trend is dying, and avocado bowls are here to take over! When looking for lighter options at other restaurants and cafes, you may be limited to a salad, but not at Fit Foodz Cafe. The amount of sandwiches, wraps, bowls and entrees will have your head spinning. Get a veggie, turkey or Angus beef burger and choose from four different preparations, all served bunless (but you can add a whole grain bun for an extra $1.50). Enjoy an Energy Bowl with black beans, brown rice, salsa and skim milk mozzarella and pick your protein: chicken, steak or tofu.

Additionally, there are over 10 other “bowls” with options like the Power Bowl with mixed greens, avocado, hard boiled egg, unsalted pistachios, roasted chickpeas, craisins and goat cheese; the Buddha Bowl with chopped sweet potato, roasted chickpeas, cabbage, carrots, quinoa, hummus and mixed greens; and the Killer Kale Salad with chopped raw kale, carrots, cabbage, fresh strawberries and blueberries, quinoa, edamame and sunflower seeds. These three bowls come with the house-made vegan “SUE-per” sauce, named after the owner. You’d never know this sauce was vegan. It’s made with tofu to give it that creamy consistency you know and love in traditional dressings. Another fan favorite is the Quinoa Fried Rice — the same great flavor and aroma that you’ll find at your favorite Chinese buffet, minus the salt-induced bloating that follows.

Even though the holiday hoopla is over, we all still crave dessert, right? The baked goods at Fit Foodz Cafe are not to be missed. Many of the treats are vegan, gluten-free and made with good-for-you ingredients. This is one place where guilt-free dessert has true meaning! Expect everything from homemade granola bars, dairy and gluten-free chocolate chickpea brownies and whole wheat chip muffins and banana bread to naturally gluten-free almond butter cookies, tofu mousse cups, and cookie sandwiches made with vegan vanilla icing. Fit Foodz Cafe is located at 9704 Clint Moore Rd., Suite A-108, Boca Raton, FL 33496. The cafe is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

JANUARY 2018 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

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YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER | JANUARY 2018

Local artists make their mark on Wynwood Staff report Local Delray artist Glayson LeRoy is making a splash with his art in Miami’s Wynwood arts district. Along with help from other South Florida artists, he and his business partner John Griffin of Galera Collective helped start a project called Trackside— a new installation of art on an alley facing the train tracks. The installation was a part of Miami’s Art Basal, which took place last month. Ron Bloomberg of Bloomberg Equities LLC, helped provide the canvas for the large murals on the back of his warehouses.

Glayson LeRoy and John Griffin in front of An artist works on his Trackside mural during Art Basal. the Lady Pink Mural by Muck Rock. Submitted photo. Artist Grabster’s mural in Wynwood. Submitted photo. Submitted photo.

The murals are about 30 feet tall and 20 feet wide. “This was really overwhelming in a good way,” LeRoy said. “We have the biggest murals in Wynwood.” The ultimate goal is to create WYMAC, Wynwood Mural Artist Cooperative, for local artists to be a part of to help showcase their work.

Artist Hieroveiga’s mural in Wynwood. Submitted Artist Sanguin Skills’ mural in Wynwood. Submitted Artist Insane51’s mural in Wynwood. Submitted phophoto. photo. to.

JANUARY 2018 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

Boca Raton essay winners chat with astronauts on board International Space Station Staff report Palm Beach County students who won an essay contest got the chance to speak to astronauts out of this world, literally. About a dozen students from Palm Beach County got to speak live with an orbiting astronaut on board the International Space Station. The South Florida Science Center and Aquarium recently hosted the ARISS (Amateur Radio on board the International Space Station) event. Students in grades 2-12 from public, private and home schools wrote a 250-word essay on the topic: “If you had a chance to ask an astronaut any question, what would it be and why?” Two winners attended Boca Raton schools. Paolo Nespoli, the Italian astronaut on

Lew Crampton with the Science Center poses with the winners of the essay contest who got to talk to astronaut Paolo Nespoli on board the International Space Station. Photo courtesy of the South Florida Science Center and Aquarium.

board the ISS, answered the twelve winning questions while the space station orbited over the Georgia/Florida border. The communication was done through ham radio, thanks to one of the largest amateur radio organizations in the country that works with the Science Center. Traveling at 17,000-miles-per-hour 250 miles up in the air, the ISS was only in radio contact for eight minutes.

“Our sense of exploration, wonder and discovery in space is not dead,” said Lew Crampton, president and CEO of the Science Center. “We’re going to Mars, and some of these young people might be so inspired, they will take their place in history and further the mission. We’re all about Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM), and this is the perfect event to inspire the next generation of explorers.”

Nicholas Cruz, of Calusa Elementary, asked, ”What experiment do you consider to be the one that has best helped us live better on Earth, or one that has helped out the most with space exploration?”

Parents attended the event, watching each of their children speak into the radio to a human off this planet.

Nespoli said he is working on a fire with flames that burn at a very low temperature.

Christopher Andersson, St. Andrew’s School, asked, “What is the most unexpected discovery you have made when doing your science experiments on the International Space Station?” “This incredible opportunity coincides perfectly with our new blockbuster exhibit, Astronaut,” said Lew Crampton, President and CEO of the Science Center. “We are thrilled to open students’ minds to science, encouraging them to look to the sky and beyond for careers in space and STEMrelated fields.”

The window to speak with the ISS was eight minutes while orbiting above Georgia and Florida. Photo courtesy of the South Florida Science Center and Aquarium.

Shakespeare

Calusa Elementary student Nicholas Cruz speaks with astronaut Paolo Nespoli on board the Photo courtesy of the South Florida Science Center and Aquarium.

train like an astronaut and get an inside look on life off this planet. The exhibit will show what it’s like to sleep, eat, shower and even use the bathroom in space. Visitors will also get the chance to be absorbed in team problem-solving, to overcome challenges, and practice landing a capsule.

The ARISS program was created and is managed by an international group of amateur radio organizations and space agencies including NASA. ARISS lets students worldwide experience the excitement of talking directly with crew members of the ISS, inspiring them to pursue interests and careers in science, Astronaut immerses visitors in the Intertechnology, engineering and math, and Miami Presents William Shakespeare’s engaging them with radio science technational Space Station, with hands-on exnology through amateur radio. hibits of what it’s like to blast off into space,

Shakespeare Miami Presents Will

Shakespeare Miami and The City Of Boca Raton Present William Shakespeare’s

HAML HAMLET

SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARK

FREE EVENT

Shakespeare Miami Presents Wil iam Shakespeare’s

HAMLET

Friday, January 5 and Saturday, January 6 at 8:00 pm Sunday, January 7 at 6:00 pm

Get a sneak peek at the Loch Bar Pop Up. The classic seafood tavern opening late summer 2018 in Mizner Park will offer a sampling of their menu and beverages for purchase. Open 4 pm each night of the Shakespeare series at the Mizner Park Amphitheater Clock Tower.

j a n u a ry 2 0 1 8 At the Mizner Park Amphitheater Visit MiznerAmp.com for more information

YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER | JANUARY 2018

FAU’s Motor and Joseph lead Owls to record-setting season

the Akron Zips led by legendary coach Terry Bowden at FAU Stadium’s Howard Schnellenberger Field.

By: David DiPino Contributing Writer

Two important pieces of the Florida Atlantic University (FAU) Owls Conference USA Champion football team came from the college’s backyard at neighboring American Heritage School in Delray Beach. Kicker Greg Joseph, a senior at FAU, is now the leader in career field goals for the Owls. Devin “Motor” Singletary, a sophomore, led the nation in touchdowns scored with 30 scampers into the end-zone. Let’s rephrase that, led the nation, six better than second place Rashaad Penny’s 24 touchdowns. Penny is the running back for San Diego State University and a 2017 Heisman Trophy contender - the top individual performance award accolade in NCAA Football Division I. At one point this season, FAU fans had #MotorForHeisman trending on Twitter. The top touchdown scorer in college football from the Sunshine State besides Motor was Tre-Quan Smith, a wide receiver with the University of Central Florida Knights. Smith scored 14 touchdowns, not even half the total of Motor’s FAU record 30 touchdowns scored in 2017. Mo-

“You know it’s been great and I’m in great company but you know I couldn’t do it without my teammates. We push each other when we’re going against the defense. This seems real. We always had the mindset that we wanted to win. Now we’re having fun doing it,” Devin “Motor” Singletary said.

FAU Owls football record-setting placekicker Greg Joseph (center) from American Heritage School - Delray Beach celebrates as a 2017 Conference USA Champion. Photo By: David DiPino.

tor was Conference USA’s Player of the Year for 2017. Motor was the first FAU player ever named “All-American” status when he was recently named to the Associated Press’ (AP) All-American list, again one of the top accolades in college football normally reserved for players from Notre Dame, Ohio State, UF, FSU, Miami, etc.

CHRISTIAN SCIENCE WHAT IT IS AND HOW IT WORKS SATURDAY, JAN 27TH AT 2 PM •

FIRST CHURCH OF CHRIST, SCIENTIST, BOCA RATON 566 W PALMETTO PARK ROAD BOCA RATON, FLORIDA, 33432 International speaker Michelle Nanouche is a practitioner and teacher of Christian Science healing and a member of the Christian Science Board of Lectureship. Dear Neighbors- We warmly invite you to this lecture and Q&A to learn how we are praying to meet daily challenges. Challenges from individual health to world affairs. We are ﬁnding that “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Ps 46 We look forward to meeting you!

Long before he scampered down the sidelines with lightning speed scoring touchdowns this regular season to lead the Florida Atlantic University (FAU) Owls football team in nine straight wins and their first Conference USA Championship, Motor starred at running back for the American Heritage School Stallions in Delray Beach. In his senior year for the Stallions, Motor ran for 1700 yards rushing and 17 touchdowns. He led American Heritage School to consecutive Class 3A State Championship games. Motor received scholarship offers from the University of Illinois, FSU, the “U” (University of Miami), UNC (North Carolina), Wake Forest University and UConn. He verbally committed to Illinois but fell in love with FAU’s campus and football facilities and swayed to the Owls. This year, he led the FAU program in hosting their first championship game at Howard Schnellenberger Field and FAU Stadium. The FAU Owls Football team finished the regular season with a 10 win, 3 loss season including (9-0 in Conference USA play). The Owls earned their third ever bowl appearance (FAU won the 2007 New Orleans Bowl and won the 2008 Motor City Bowl) in the 2017 Cheribundt Tart Cherry Boca Raton Bowl vs.

Owl’s kicker Greg Joseph is also an American Heritage School Stallions alum. A little over five years ago, Joseph walkedon as an FAU freshman and eventually earned a scholarship. Five years later Joesph was the FAU all-time leader in field goals and extra point’s attempts and extra points scored. Against the University of North Texas Mean Green during regular season Conference USA play, Joseph recorded 15 points in FAU’s record-setting points scored (69 points in their regular season win against North Texas) with two field goals (44,24) and nine extra points. He also booted 11 kickoffs that night. In the Conference USA Championship also vs. North Texas, Joseph connected on two-of-three field goal attempts in the Conference USA Championship. Joseph was named an Honorable Mention for Conference USA’s Post Season Team. He is a graduate student at FAU in his final season. During his FAU career, Joseph has made 57 field goals and 160 extra points, his career long field goal is 54 yards and he has booted 269 kickoffs with 167 of those kicks resulting in touchbacks. Joseph holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Exercise Science and Health Promotion and is seeking an MBA from FAU. He was a semi-finalist for The Lou Groza Award is presented annually to the top college football placekicker in the United States by the Palm Beach County Sports Commission. The award is named after former Ohio State Buckeyes and Cleveland Brown player Lou Groza. It has been presented since 1992.

Devin “Motor” Singletary answers questions from national media after scoring a nation-leading 30 touchdowns. Motor was the 2017 Conference USA Player of the Year. Photo By: David DiPino.

JANUARY 2018 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

Society Scene

Robin Cohen, Brookdale Home Health; Dennis Shuman, Signature Realty; Candy Cohn, Oasis Senior Advisors of South Florida; Robin Ostreich, The Number Detective; Christine Morris, Horizon Care Nursing attend the Walk to End Alzheimer’s at Mizner Park. Submitted photo.

NCCI recently raised more than $6,000 for local animal shelters during their annual “Paws for the Cause” campaign. During the campaign, employees also had the opportunity to interact with adoptable pets from the Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League when its PetMobile made a stop at NCCI’s campus in Boca Raton. Here, NCCI employee, Brittni Gunnoe, visits with a furry friend in need of a forever home. Submitted photo.

Shayna Martinoff, Shaina Yeslow with Tamar, Sarah FinkelsteinWolfe are part of the PJ Library, a five year old initiative where families raising Jewish children from six months through eight years old in South Palm Beach County have been receiving a monthly gift of free high-quality Jewish children’s books and music sent to their homes. Submitted photo.

Pastor Dave Franklin, Pastor Andrew Hagen, Pastor Richard Barbour, and Pastor Jacob Mack at Pastor Richard Babour’s retirement party. After almost 40 years as a pastor, of which the past 11 years have been with Advent Lutheran Church in Boca Raton, Pastor Richard Barbour retired Oct. 29 on the 500th Anniversary of the Lutheran Reformation. Submitted photo.

Reigning champions Melissa and Sarah Hassan defended their title during the Unicorn Children’s Foundation’s 4th Annual Bartender’s Battle at Farmer’s Table in Boca Raton. Photo by Gina Fontana.

Attendees at a Board of County Commissioners meeting last month didn’t know whether to yell “Happy Birthday” or “All Aboard” when this cake, crafted in the shape of a Tri-Rail commuter train, arrived for District 4 Commissioner Steven Abrams of Boca Raton. The birthday surprise was the work of his wife who knows her husband is a strong supporter of public transportation. In fact, he is chairman of the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority. The commissioner commented: “Special thanks to Debbie Abrams for arranging the Tri-Rail birthday cake in the Commission Chambers and especially for not telling anyone the number of candles to put on it.” Photo by Dale King.

130 HAPPY CALL ME, I CAN HELP YOU TOO

Donna Rizzo, Gail Guy, Chairperson Marianne Regen, Josephine Armes, Susan Gengo and Ann Carro of Unico Highland Beach Chapter mailed boxes to the troops for the holidays. Submitted photo.

Congratulations to the #1 Agent in Southeast Florida

Claire Sheres

YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER | JANUARY 2018

Ocean Breeze Golf Course looks at 2018 closing By: Diane Emeott Korzen Contributing Writer Closing on the Ocean Breeze Golf Course property has now been delayed until Jan. 26. Executive Director of the Greater Boca Raton Beach & Park District Arthur Koski asked the Board to approve a 30-day extension to the contract at its Dec. 4 meeting. The contract extension passed unanimously for the golf course that Koski proposes to rename as “Boca National Golf Course.” A Dec. 27 closing had previously been anticipated on the 214-acre property in northern Boca [Boca Teeca] -- which the Beach & Park District intends to purchase with a little help from the City of Boca Raton in the form of issuing a revenue bond, which the District will make payments on to a bonding company.

Several members of the Beach & Park District would like to keep the The closed since 2016 Ocean Breeze Golf Course property, to be redevel- hotel property at Ocean Breeze in the public domain. Photo by Diane Emeott Korzen. oped as Boca National. Photo by Diane Emeott Korzen.

Interlocal agreement

“If they sign the loan paper on [Tuesday,] Jan. 23, it’s unlikely to be ready to close by Friday, Jan. 26,” said Koski. “Certainly, not later than mid to late March, closing will take place,” he said.

Through an Interlocal Agreement (ILA) between the District and the city, the City of Boca Raton is expected to take out a revenue bond, enabling the District to purchase the $24 million Ocean Breeze golf course.

“If the city could go out now for RFP (Request for Proposals) to determine who the most favorable borrowing agent would be [that would certainly help move things along],” Koski continued, adding that he had talked to the Assistant City Manager that day. “Hopefully that will come back in the affirmative,” he said.

At the end of November, Koski said he had had numerous meetings with the city, and that an ILA was in the process of being drafted.

In another area of the golf course that is seeing movement: Golf course architect bids were due to the District by 2 p.m. on Dec. 20. The Beach & Park District Board will then review the bids. At a future meeting, the Board will rank them, and can ask respondents to make presentations. The Board of Commissioners of the Greater Boca Raton Beach & Park District (the “District”) has been seeking proposals for Professional Golf Course Architectural/ Architectural/ Engineering/ Surveying/Landscape Architectural and Consulting Services for redesign and rebuild of the 27-hole golf course (formerly known as Ocean Breeze) including new irrigation, landscaping, practice range, golf cart maintenance and learning center, pro shop, clubhouse, administrative offices, meeting space, maintenance buildings, and other golf course infrastructure and appurtenances.

“You can’t have a tax exempt bond unless it meets IRS bulletins (rules and regulations) and the city’s debt service policy,” Kossi explained. On Dec. 4, Koski spelled out a timeframe regarding Boca City Council’s meeting schedule as it pertained to the holidays, and what still needed to happen for the city to be able to approve two ordinances pertaining to the golf course: 1. Approval of an ILA between the District and City 2. Approval of borrowing by the city With each ordinance requiring two readings, Koski estimated the Jan. 9 meeting [now changed to Monday, Jan. 8 at 6 p.m.] and Tuesday, Jan. 23 as the soonest possible dates for the city to be able to pass the required ordinances. “December only has one council meeting [on Dec. 12],” he added. Hotel property At the Nov. 27 and Dec. 4 Beach & Park District meet-

ings, the Board discussed whether the hotel portion of the property could be a private revenue enterprise.

“According to our bond counsel, as long as we own the property, we could have, for example, a food service on what is the hotel site. I think there’s no negative impact. There are ‘safe harbors’ for food services, pro operations, leasing of golf carts, etc. As long as we own the property, we are in control of those management type contracts,” said Koski. The majority of the commissioners were “for” keeping the hotel portion of the property in the public domain. Commissioner Susan Vogelsang suggested, “ We could do events, etc.” Commissioner Steven Engel said,“I agree with what’s in the best interest of the community.” Commissioner Erin Wright said she was “excited to see” future plans. Koski said he thinks the world-class golf course itself will be the draw. “The Learning Center (golf academy) is a plus factor. Certainly, if there were a boutique hotel, that would also be well and good. No offense to anyone who owns one, but I would not want to see a Days Inn there. The last hotel there did not succeed.” Koski said he was going to tell the city what the Board was contemplating, and to prepare for $24 million in financing.

Friends of Boca Raton Public Library donates $52,000 to support BRPL’s educational mission By: Dale King Contributing Writer The Friends of the Boca Raton Public Library recently presented the BRPL with a gift of $52,640 to support the library’s educational mission to provide greater resources, learning tools, programs and opportunities to library users. “With great pleasure, the Friends organization donates a gift of more than $50,000 for BRPL programs,” said Cyndi Bloom, president of the Friends Board of Directors. “Our members, donors, bookstore customers and volunteers gladly enable us to continue our support for our wonderful libraries.” The Friends is a non-profit, volunteer group dedicated to supporting city li-

braries. It raises money through memberships to the Friends organization, grants and book sales at the bookstore in the Downtown Library at 400 NW 2nd Ave.

“We are proud to be community partners to enhance the educational experiences for all Boca residents,” said Ann Nappa, manager of Library Services. “We can truly say that the Boca Raton Public Library is a gem in our midst.” “In 2017, the BRPL surveyed our community and asked what would make the library a better institution,” she said. “Sharing those findings with the Friends of the Library helped us to partner on exciting new projects that meet those needs, and to deepen the support of suc-

cessful and loved programs like 1,000 Books before Kindergarten and our annual Summer Reading Initiative.”

In 2018, she added, “our focus will be on designing a community-focused library with the delivery of programs and resources aligning with our new signature initiative, Discover You @ BRPL, financial literacy and much more.” This latest gift from the Friends provides almost $37,000 for youth services which is earmarked for summer reading, including such new offerings as Tutor.com, STEM backpacks and a visit by bestselling children’s author Bob Shea. Friends’ funding will also enable further expansion of the popular Discover Stu-

Boca Raton’s Downtown Library on NW Second Avenue. (Courtesy City of Boca Raton)

dio to meet the new needs of seniors. Financial literacy speakers will be added throughout the year as a part of the donation. For more information about the Friends of the Library, visit bocalibraryfriends. org.

JANUARY 2018 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

Council Corner

Boca schools overcrowded By: Councilman Robert Weinroth Special to the Boca Newspaper Boca Raton prides itself on its ability to attract new and relocating businesses to our city. Several years ago we added a business development manager to help facilitate this effort. It has been a collaborative effort with the state and county, which has resulted in greater economic opportunities for our residents. The downside of our success has been the pressure it has placed on our school system. The City of Boca Raton does not run its own public school system. The schools within Florida are organized by counties and the operations of the Palm Beach County Schools is the responsibility of the elected members of the School Board of Palm Beach County. School crowding issues have been around for years. When our family arrived in Boca Raton over twenty-five years ago, portables dotted the landscape adjacent to the brick and mortar schools. Eventually, as new developments were built out new schools were built and existing ones expanded to provide the additional capacity allowing many of the portables to be carted away.

Overcrowding is, again, occurring within our public schools due, in part to their improved quality, making it less likely a parent is going to feel justified in paying tuition to a private school when their neighborhood school is “A-rated.” Case in point, Calusa Elementary has seen an influx of students as parents have opted to move their children there from private schools. As residents within our community get older, they are selling their residences to young families, adding further pressure on our public schools. All of this is coupled with the influx of new residents. Florida attracts over 300,000 new residents each year and many are choosing South Florida as their new home.

Florida’s Growth Management Act requires public services (e.g., roads and emergency services) to be in place before development is approved but school concurrency is specifically excluded making it impossible for a municipality to deny a development proposal based on a lack of school capacity. And, the School District can’t even consider a new school until an existing reaches 120% of its capacity and even then, before the state will approve a new school it will challenge the School District to demonstrate that boundary changes couldn’t address the problem. Municipalities like Boca Raton have the option of creating charter districts to supplement the public school system. While this “solution” was rejected in the past, this might be a viable alternative if the legislature does not address the funding issues. It would, however, require the City Council to become the governing board of a charter school, an idea that may or may not sit well with a majority of our residents.

All of these forces have aligned to make Boca Raton Middle the county’s most crowded school with over 1,500 students on a campus built for just over 1,400. Things are not much better at Boca Raton High with a student census exceeding 3,500 on a campus built for about 2,900.

Notwithstanding the fact that Boca Raton has excellent schools, and the recently approved sales surtax will provide funding to replace Addison Mizner and Verde, however, as noted above, it is incumbent on our state legislators to address this issue on a proactive basis to support its ongoing efforts to attract high paying jobs to Florida.

The shifting demographics have added over 500 students to the public schools within Boca Raton in the past three years. Young families are moving in to replace the empty nesters due, in large part, to the successful efforts to attract tech companies to our city just as the end of the recession reignited our real estate market.

Florida is likely poised to enjoy a surge in businesses relocating from the Northeast as they respond to proposed tax code revisions. That being said, unless the necessary investment in public education is made, overcrowding will continue to plague our current and future residents.

Improving our schools, roads and access to counseling for teens By: Councilman Scott Singer Special to the Boca Newspaper This Council Corner covers some important news you may have missed in December, including news on mental health services for teens, school facilities, and infrastructure improvements. At our most recent meeting, the City Council supported a proposal I brought forward to provide Boca High and Spanish River High students with group counseling services from the Faulk Center for Counseling. Mental health and behavioral issues affect 1 in 5 children and teens, and the lack of counseling resources is one the biggest problems in society, and an issue for educators and Boca families. This program has existed in other places, but this initiative is the first partnership with a city to help provide it. I’m optimistic this pilot effort may enable the expansion of needed mental and emotional health resources for Boca’s students in other schools. We are so fortunate in Boca Raton to have many professionals, volunteers, and or-

ganizations, like Boca Raton Promise, as one example, working to tackle an issue that needs more attention from all levels of government. Our first responders deal with multiple incidents every day dealing with mental health and addiction-related issues, and I’ll keep working for more solutions like this. They can save lives. Speaking of schools, the news has caught up to an issue I’ve been working on for some time – expanding facilities for Boca Raton’s public schools. At our most recent meeting, School District representatives briefed the City Council on existing plans for the expansion by 2020 of Spanish River High and rebuilding of two elementary schools, all to add more than 1,200 student seats in Boca Raton. I proposed that the City seize an opportunity to place in Boca Raton a new elementary school that the district has budgeted but not sited (called 05-C). My proposal – take some parcels not currently planned for development near Don Estridge Middle School to create a K-8 high-tech campus. I’m continuing to work with our school board representative, Frank Barbieri, and my colleagues and staff on this and other possibilities. A bit more background – last summer,

I volunteered to join the School District’s Sales Surtax Oversight Committee, which voted recently to include the rebuilding of two of Boca’s elementary schools among the first seven in Palm Beach County. With 39 cities and many unincorporated areas in the county, getting 2 of 7 for just our city is a good start. I also facilitated more discussion about ways to expand recreation facilities and minimize neighborhood traffic for the rebuilding plans, which may be improved by the possibility of our grabbing the opportunity for a new elementary school. The school district will be back to us in the coming weeks. Some news sources and blogs aren’t telling you the whole story on this, so I ask that you share the news of these efforts and stay in touch for updates. Have any thoughts? Please get in touch with me at ssinger@myboca.us! Finally, our city’s budget includes millions of dollars for roadway improvements, all while keeping our millage rate the lowest of any full-service city in Palm Beach County. I’m pleased to share that we recently improved road resurfacing and landscape maintenance for nearly a dozen neighborhoods and sections of Boca Raton. Over a period of several years, nearly every major city thoroughfare will see some improvements. If

you want any specifics on when you might see something on your street, please contact me. My email is above and I’m on all social media platforms at @ScottSingerUSA! Best wishes to you and yours for a happy, healthy, and safe 2018!

Meet the team Reach us at: BocaNewspaper.com 561-299-1430 info@bocanewspaper.com

Jeff Perlman, Editor-in-Chief and Principal Scott Porten, Chief-Financial-Officer and Principal Craig Agranoff, Content Director and Principal Fran Marincola, Adviser and Principal Marisa Herman, Associate Editor Kelly McCabe, Account Manager

YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER | JANUARY 2018

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