BOCA RATON HOLIDAY BOAT PARADE DROPPED BY CITY BUT CORPORATIONS COULD CHIP IN TO SAVE IT

Deep cuts in this year’s budget made to meet state legislative mandates eliminated funding for the Holiday Boat Parade, a traditional and popular local event. The Marine Industries Association of Palm Beach County has partnered with the city to run this annual event since 2003, when the Greater Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce dropped the event, but they cannot pay for the parade without the City’s contribution. However, they have said that if the City funds the Boat Parade next year, they will again participate. The City of Boca Raton has also cancelled funding for this year for the downtown concert series, Halloween Happenings and the Police Athletic League, though the PAL got $50,000. Other area boat parades planned include Parade of the Palm Beaches, and events in Boynton-Delray, Pompano Beach and the Winterfest in Ft. Lauderdale. Participation in the boat parade has dropped, but the association would increase the number of participating water craft to 45. Boats decorated for the holidays took part in the parade that traveled south on the ICW from Delray Beach to the Deerfield Beach border. Best entries received prizes in several categories. Boats would pull up along the shore and people donated items for a holiday “Toys for Tots” drive.

EMINENT DOMAIN USED FOR NEW WEST BOCA SCHOOL TO OPEN IN AUGUST 2009

Due to student growth, the acquisition of a new 20.197-acre site for $10-MM was recently approved by the School Board of Palm Beach County, to build a new West Boca Raton Elementary School. Location is 95^th Avenue South near West Boca Lake and Olympic Heights High School. An environmental audit is now complete, finding no concerns. With the owner unwilling to sell the property, the district has decided to exercise the option of eminent domain. While the process provides a fast taking of the property, negotiations with the owners are not limited in order to reach settlement either before or after the date of the “Order of Taking.” The school is scheduled to open in August 2009. This will provide enrollment relief for neighboring elementary schools including Whispering Pines, Sunrise Park, Sandpiper Shores and Del Prado Elementary schools and will be built to accommodate about 960 students. Traffic and parking concerns will be addressed.

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EXTENSION GIVEN TO DOWNTOWN EDEN CONDO PROJECT

Building permits were extended for the third time by a skeptical City Council for the troubled Eden condo project, which is three years behind and facing financial problems. The four building project is being turned into residences for Seniors. One building is finished; the others are incomplete. Some requirements are that the developer must put up $1- MM in Letters of Credit, submit revised plans, clean up the site and give monthly progress reports to the city. There are deadlines, which, if not met, will result in the 2 year permits expiring. The Deputy City Manager says that if the project fails, the $1-MM can be used to tear down the unfinished buildings. Problems for the developer included the hurricanes, contractor and labor shortages along with a spike in materials, and then the condo market crash. Banks now are tightening credit and lending standards too.

PARK AROUND BLUE LAKE MOVING FORWARD

Known as de Hoernle Park, in honor of Boca’s generous benefactor, the area around Blue Lake, formerly an IBM headquarters and acquired by Boca Raton, is being developed. A new dog park has opened; the library is back on track with development; plans are in the makings for an ice rink and a botannical gardens, but they won’t be ready any time too soon. With money short, the city will soon publish a request for proposals late this year or early next year (RFP) for developers who are interested in building a skating rink. Construction is planned for eight athletic fields in the southwest area, perhaps covered in artificial turf, using money from a bond issue, and the district will pay off the bond. While the architects are in the design process now, expecting 60% of the drawings to be available in October, the plans may include festooning of flower beds and criss-crossed walkways.

NAR: A GOOD DAY FOR HOUSING… September 18, 2007

Along with “the FED” cutting the discount rate by half a percentage point, the House of Representatives passed the Expanding American Homeownership Act of 2007, HR 1852, offering homeowners a safer alternative to risky mortgage products, helping homeowners who may be facing foreclosure, increasing loan limits and eliminating the statutory 3% minimum cash down payment. Mortgage modifications will allow borrowers to change mortgage terms so they can afford to stay in their home. “Partial Claim” programs will cure a loan default with the FHA lending the borrower money with a no-interest loan due when the property is sold or paid off. The National Association of Realtors (NAR), America’s largest trade association, represents 1.3MM+ members involved in all aspects of residential and commercial real estate and is known as “The Voice for Real Estate.”

TWO VOLUNTEERS NEEDED BY WEST BOCA SHERIFF’S OFFICE

Four hour shifts needing volunteers for assisting with fingerprinting, providing forms and reporting accidents and incidents are available. Walk-in satellite offices for the Palm Beach County Sheriffs Office are open 8 am to 4 pm Monday through Friday at 6787 Palmetto Circle North and 9378 South 210^th Street, off Glades Road. Students seeking community service hours and retirees are welcome to apply. On the job one-on-one training is provided. Drivers are needed for mobile patrol units for shopping centers, houses of worship and schools 24/7. To apply call 561-483-4123.

KRAVIS UPDATE

November 7: Queen Latifah... December 13: Anita Baker... January 30: Dame Kiri Te Kanawa. Kravis Members can buy tickets prior to this Saturdays Public Ticket Sale to be held in the center's Rinker Playhouse, 701 Okeechobee Boulevard, West Palm Beach. There will be refreshments available. To become a Kravis Center member, call 561-651-4320. You can choose your seats at www.kravis.org or call 561-832-7469 or 800-572-8471.

BEACH CLEANUP SATURDAY SEPT 15TH

Make it a BEACH DAY... a little bit north! Come to Gulfstream Park, 4489 No. Ocean Blvd, Gulfstream, 8-10:30 am and help cleanup, get free t-shirts, drinks and cookies and be awarded community service hours. Pre-reister with Gary Solomon, TheRecipeExchange@Comcast.net, 561-734-9128. www.Sandsifters.org. Gulfstream Park is a small beach park nestled on a hill behind a mass of Sea Grape bushes and shaded by Australian Pines. There are open picnic benches, a few BBQ grills, a children’s play area, showers and restrooms as well as areas to sit overlooking the ocean. The beach is wide and clean and there is usually a lifeguard on duty. Walk the vegetation-covered boardwalk to the beach. There are 86-parking spaces (free). Activities include fishing, swimming and sunbathing – a great place to take the kids to!

MARCH OF DIMES PRESENTS SIGNATURE CHEFS & WINE EXTRAVAGANZA

Don’t miss this fabulous night of gourmet food presented by 20+ local restaurant chefs (Chef Chair is Zack Bell of Café Boulud in Palm Beach), fine wine spirits, exciting entertainment and live and silent auction prizes at the Marriott Boca Raton, 5150 Town Center Circle on Thursday, October 11, 2007 from 6 pm – 9 pm. Advance Purchased Tickets are $100; $125 on event day. Purchase tickets at marchofdimes.com/florida or call 561-276-2001. Valet parking provided. Located one mile north of Palmetto Park Road on Military Trail in Boca Raton.m

LYONS ROAD BEING WIDENED FROM LINTON TO ATLANTIC

Toll Brothers, developers of Mizner Country Club, and County Commissioners will soon being working jointly. Toll was required to satisfy road improvement development requirements and will spend $3-MM while the county picks up $600,000 of the cost.

$200,000+ RAISED BY BOCA FESTIVAL DAYS 2007

Begun more than 36 years ago to help boost business during the traditionally “slow” month of August and to benefit local non-profit organizations, the festival grows each year and now hosts thousands of participants. It is a month-long event and includes many local business sponsors.

DELRAY BEACH HISTORIC HOMES CAN BE VIEWED ON WALKING TOURS

Known world-wide for its charming historic districts and 100+ years of history, a map of walking tour sites is now available form the City of Delray Beach Planning and Zoning Department at City Hall, 100 NW 1^st Avenue, or call 561-243-7284… The Sundy House, listed on the local and national Register of Historic Places, at 106 S. Swinton Avenue, is a popular restaurant and inn with a botanical gardens to roam through and enjoy, former home of John Shaw Sundy, the first Mayor of Delray, when the town was incorporated in 1911… The most expansive historic site in downtown Delray Beach is the Old School Square which includes the Crest Theater, and Cornell Museum of Art and History. Points of interest there include the recently added arcade and band shell… Also included are the fully restored S.D. Spady Cultural Museum at 170 NW 5^th Avenue, former home of locally prominent African American educator, businessman and civic leader Solomon D. Spady – open to the public… Listed on the Local Register of Historic Places, as is the Spady Museum, is the Susan Williams House at 154 NW 5^th Avenue. Susan Williams was a local midwife, often the only one available to provide medical treatment to residents of the “Sands” neighborhood, now known as the West Settler’s Historic District, moved in 2000 to it’s current location with renovation coming for use as a community education corner as part of the Spady Cultural Arts Complex. The building is not currently open to the public… The Cason Cottage Complex at 5 NE 5^th Avenue, is both the first restoration done in the Old School Square District and the first museum in Delray Beach, once home of the Cason family, Delray pioneers, and it reflects the South Florida Lifestyle from 1915 – 1935… Homes in Bankers Row, circa 1930, NE 1^st Avenue between 2^nd and 3^rd Streets, is in the Old School Square Historic District, belonged to many prominent Delray business leaders… The Masonic Building, circa 1924, 40-44 East Atlantic Avenue housed the local post office from the late 1920’s through the 1950’s and is now a home for local Masons… A must-see is the Colony Hotel, circa 1926, 525 E. Atlantic Avenue, designed by Martin L. Hampton, an Addison Mizner associate. It opened in 1926, needed extensive renovation after the 1928 hurricane, and is the last remaining hotel out of eight that existed during the 1920’s boom years… Don’t miss the Atlantic Avenue Bridge, circa 1951, in the Marina District, a gear-driven, Chicago-style, double leaf bascule bridge, built in 1911, which replaced a swing bridge… Sandoway House, circa 1936, currently the home of the Sandoway Nature Center, was originally the home of J.B. Evans, a local produce dealer in Delray Beach. Walk through history on this informative and interesting tour.

COASTAL CLEANUP PROJECT IN DELRAY BEACH

Wanting to preserve environmental resources, the city of Delray Beach joins the Sandoway House Nature Center located at 142 South Ocean Boulevard in celebrating Florida Coastal Cleanup Saturday starting at 9 am at the nature center on September 15^th. Local residents are asked to participate. The annual event is the largest and most successful volunteer effort of this type of project. Thousands of worldwide volunteers from more than 90 countries have, since 1986, cleared more than 100-MM lbs. of trash from 170,000 miles of shorelines, rivers, lakes and wetlands. They are given free commemorative t-shirts, water and snacks for as long as the supplies last and earn community service hours. Pre-registration can be made by calling 561-274-7263, Registration forms can be found in the lobby of Delray Beach City Hall, 100 NW 1^st Avenue, and should be completed and returned to Jennifer Buce, litter prevention coordinator.