Page Two; Barry’s Buzz – July 23, 2014

Legalizing Medical Marijuana is the program at the goldcoasttigerbayclub.com lunch 11:30 a.m. August 12, featuring Ben Pollara, Campaign Manager at United for Care, the main organization advocating for the approval of Amendment 2 in November. RSVP on the site.

 Former CVS Caremark pharmacy president Mark Cosby has been appointed Office Depot president for North America.

 With 1,000 young athletes expected in Boca Raton for the 2014 JCC Maccabi Games from Aug. 10 to 15, organizers are short beds and hoping to interest more volunteers. Prospective volunteers are asked to contact volunteer coordinator Debbie Block at bocamaccabivolunteer@gmail.com. Volunteer information is on the JCC Maccabi Games web site at levisjcc.org/maccabi/volunteer.

 Numbers just released show Palm Beach County foreclosure filings sharply declined the first half of this year. A little over 3,000 foreclosures hit court dockets, which is off about 50% from the previous year. Local Real Estate pros say the decline was caused by increased short sales and a rebound in the Real Estate market that showed higher prices, taking out the need for foreclosures.

 South Florida’s Tenet hospital chain, including West Boca and Delray Medical Centers, is going down to the wire in negotiations with giant insurer United Health Care. Already United has sent out letters saying the hospitals will be out of their network by August 1. Tenet says negotiation continues and they hope to reach agreement by the August 1 deadline.

 CrossFit Kismet gym, focusing on training members to reach their optimal health and fitness goals by offering workouts that include running with tires, weightlifting, rope climbing, gymnastics and selling supplements, has opened at 279 W. Camino Real.     

 The Palm Beach Kennel Club will host the first stop on the World Series of Poker circuit. The two week event will kick off on July 30 and last year over 2,500 players entered the tournament at the Kennel Club that had prize pools of $1,000,000. Economic impact of the Poker World Series filled nearly 3,000 rooms during this past two years and created $1.8 million in spending benefits to local businesses.

 In a rising from the ashes scenario, low coast airline PeopleExpress re-launched service at PBIA, first debuting in 1980 as one of the pioneers of discount air travel, but soon went broke. PBIA granted incentives of free landing fees and gate use charges.

 The island Breeze Casino is once again going to dry-dock in Jacksonville to fix mechanical problems. Projected re-launch date is sometime in September.

 With Lebron James returning to Cleveland, the Miami Heat’s team franchise value is expected to plummet $100,000,000, ticket sales will be off $20,000,000 with corporate sponsors and advertisers to dwindle along with TV exposure. James’ league leading Heat jersey sales will vanish and the teams merchandising arm will take a huge hit to the bottom line.

  There were 6,097 flights from Miami to Havana with 637,754 passengers in 2013. The average airfare is $2,500.

 On the Radio: Sounds of the 70s runs to July 27 at the Broward Stage Door theatre, 8036 W Sample Rd. Coral Springs. Call 954.344.7765 or visit stagedoortheatre.com for more information and to purchase tickets.

 The Life is at the Delray Square Performing Arts Center, 4809 W. Atlantic Ave, Delray Beach through July 27. Call (561) 880-0319 or visit delraysquarearts.com for more information and to purchase tickets.

 Cafe Cinematheque Foreign Films with Shelly Isaacs is every Thursday at 10:30 a.m.at Movies of Delray 561-638-0020 and Friday at 1:00 p.m. at Movies of Lake Worth 561-968-4545. Visit moviesofdelray.com for more information.

 Watch Movie Talk with Morrie Zryl on wrpbitv.com Thursdays at 6 p.m. and Fridays at 6 a.m.

 Watch Barry Epstein live to win free tickets to the Cinemark Theatres. You can be on too to promote your business and we send a link of your segment to put on your website and send out in emails to prospects and clients for only $100. It also goes out on Vimeo, Facebook and YouTube. Call 561.852.0000 for details.  This week’s guests are,  an all women show featuring, Cirque productions Director of Marketing Jennifer Sierra Grobbelaar, Palm Beach County School Board candidate Erica Whitfield, Vistas Autism Consulting Autism Consultant Cindy Bevier, Friendly Bands president Madeline Nedry and Complete Content Package president Barbara Hales. 

 Boyhood, Lucy, Hercules and A Most Wanted Man opens Friday at the Cinemark Palace and Premiere theatres. A Most Wanted Man, And So it Goes with Michael Douglas and Diane Keaton and A Most Wanted Man with Philip Seymour Hopkins opens at the Movies of Delray and at the Classic Gateway theatre in Fort Lauderdale. A Coffee in Berlin opens at the FAU Living Room theatres and the Movies of Delray and Lake Worth, which also opens Hercules. The Fault in Our Stars, Chef and Earth to Echo opens at the Last Picture Show in Tamarac.

  Movies of Delray features Royal Shakespeare company London three hour production of Henry IV Part 2, 10 a.m. July 19.

 Larry Ferber has a movie club 10 a.m. every Sunday at the FAU Living Room theatres, followed by discussion. Call 757.617.1936 for more information.    

  Every Sunday at AMF bowling, 1190 Boynton Beach Blvd. and Congress Ave. Brain Bowlers sponsors a bowling league for families and children with disabilities to raise funds and awareness for agencies and children who are void of social interaction.  Cost is only $1.38 per game and families can bowl one or two games. There is also entertainment and prizes. For further information, call Robert Gottesman at 561-676-2075.

 Young Adults Wandering Happy Hour (Sponsored by the Young Adult Division of the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County) is July 24, at 5:45-8:00 p.m. at Saltwater Brewery, 1701 W Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach. Cost is $8 per person for pre-registration (includes a drink), $10 at the door (includes a drink). Spend an evening with young Jewish locals in their 20s to early 40s who enjoy the best in happy hour venues and company, and connecting with the community. RSVP at jewishboca.org/happyhour. For more information, call 561.852.3165 or email brians@bocafed.org.

 Cirque Dreams Jungle Fantasy is at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, 201 SW Fifth Avenue, Fort Lauderdale July 22-27. Call 954.462.0222 or visit www.browardcenter.org for tickets or more information.

 Free Contractor network is 4:30 p.m. July 24 at Maggiano’s in Boca Raton. Register at rloffice.com/netoweking-evints-3/ or call 561.503.7265.

 The free Friday Night Summer Tribute Series is 7:30 pm Fridays at the Mizner Park amphitheater including: U2 by UV, U2 tribute band, July 25, Jimmy Stowe and the Stowaways, Jimmy Buffet tribute band Aug 1 and Turnstiles, Billy Joel tribute band Aug. 8. Visit mizneramphitheatre.com.

 Learn about the traditional Bon dance, Bon Odori, at Morikami Museum & Japanese Gardens on Saturday, July 26, 10:30 am – noon. This is a dance performed during Obon, a period in the summer that commemorates the spirits of one’s ancestors. Please wear comfortable shoes and clothes to the workshop. $15/person (museum admission not included.) Advance registration required; purchase tickets at morikami.org.

The fourth annual White Coats-4-Care awareness and fund raising reception to benefit Florida Atlantic University’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine is 5:30-7:30 p.m. July 31 at the all-new Waterstone Resort & Marina’s Penthouse Atlantic Ballroom, 999 E. Camino Real, Boca Raton. Admission starts at $100 and other sponsorship opportunities are available. Call 561.392.5166 or email smartstrategiesstart@kcompr.com for more information.

Butterflies are Free, a romantic Comedy is at the Stage Door Theatre, 8036 W. Sample Rd., Coral Springs, August 1-September 14. Call 954.344.7765 or email stagedoortheatre.com for more information or tickets.

Jan McArt presents a PBS taping of Dunlap and Pennington, 1:30 p.m, Aug. 2 at the Lynn University Wold Theatre of the Performing Arts. Tickets are $10, Guild members are free. Call 561.237.9000 or visit events.lynn.edu for more information.

 Federation of Boca Raton Homeowner Association meets 8:30 a.m., August 5th,  for an update on Palm Beach County from County Commissioner Steve Abrams and a spotlight on the Boca Raton Historical Society.   (Location change for August) The Train Depot, Count De Hoernle Pavillion, 747 S. Dixie Hwy, Boca Raton 33432.   Open to public.

The George Snow Scholarship Fund presents Boca’s Ballroom Battle, 6 p.m. August 16 at the Boca Raton Resort & Club, 501 E. Camino Real. Tickets start at $150. Tables and sponsorships available. Call 561. 347.6799. Visit scholarship.org for tickets and more information.

 Contractor Marketing Tools presents the Ultimate South Florida Contractor’s Marketing Conference, August 21 in Boca Raton. Call 561.503.7265 or email info@contratormarketingtools.com to register at ultimatecontractorseminars.com for further details. Cost is $69.97.

What’s New Pussycat, the songs of Burt Bacharach, is at the Stage Door Theatre, 8036 W. Sample Rd., Coral Springs, August 22-September 28. Visit stagedoortheatre.com

The National Walk to End Alzheimer’s will be in Boca Raton for the first time on Oct. 11 at the Mizner Park Amphitheater. Registration for the walk is free at alz.org/walk. Volunteers are also needed. Contact Pamela Polani at polani@bellsouth.net or call 561-496-4222.

 The 16th Annual Lynn University Blue & White Auction will take place on Friday, Oct. 17 at 7:30 p.m., in the de Hoernle Sports and Cultural Center. Call 561-237-9000 or register online at lynn.tix.com/Event.aspx?EventCode=672701.

 JARC sponsors a bowling fundraiser 12:30 to 3 Oct. 26 at Strikes Boca to benefit Adult Day Training Program. Sponsorships are needed. Call 561.558.2572 or email fallong@jarcfl.org. Register at jarcfl.org.

The Junior League of Boca Raton’s 27th annual Volunteer of the Year fashion show by Saks Fifth Avenue and luncheon is Nov. 7 at Boca West Country Club. Nominations are still being accepted by calling 561.620.2553.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) walk for mental health is 8 am. Nov. 8, at Tradewinds Park, 3600 W. Sample Road, Coconut Creek. Register at namibroward@gmail.com. For more information, call 954.316.9907 or visit namibroward.org.

 The 2014-15 Broadway series season at the Kravis Center includes Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella Nov. 11-16; The Book of Mormon, Dec. 16-21; Flashdance – the Musical, Jan. 27-Feb. 1, 2015; Anything Goes, March 10-15, 2015; Memphis, April 7-12, 2015 and Pippin, April 28-May 3, 2015. Subscribers will get renewals in April. General public tickets will go on sale midsummer. To order go to kravis.org/broadway or call 561.832.7469.

 The Palm Beach Pops kicks off an abbreviated new season Dec. 14 with a one-night-only show at the Kravis Center featuring the Manhattan Transfer, Frank Sinatra Jr. will sing on Jan. 10 at the Boca Raton Community Church and Jan. 11 at the Kravis Center, and a tribute to Marvin Hamlisch on March 7 at the Boca Raton Community Church and March 8 at the Kravis Center. Tickets go on sale Sept. 2. Call 561.832.7677 or visit palmbeachpops.org, bocacommunity.org, or kravis.org for more information.

Westbocaleaders.com is the best networking group in the area and meets at Hurricane Grill & Wings in the Mission Bay Shopping Center, next to Office Max, 10125 Glades Road, 33498 on alternate Wednesdays from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., Cost is $60 per quarter. Check out the website for openings in some categories. Call 561.852.0000 for further information.

Thanks to David Weir and the South Florida Business Report for contributions to the column.

Barry Epstein, APR, is a noted public relations, marketing and political consultant based in Boca Raton, president of the goldcoasttigerbayclub.com, the luxurychamber.com, the westbocaleaders.com and the founder and former president of the West Boca Chamber of Commerce; with a weekly internet television show on vimeo.com, youtube.com and publicrelations.nu. His motto is: Public Relations is the enemy of anonymity. email: pr@publicrelations.nu, or fax column items to 561.451.0000.  His blog is on bocatribune.com, facebook.com/BarryEpstein as well as on the Sun-Sentinel/Jewish Journal website at floridajewishjournal.com –barrys-journal.blogspot.com  and on his website: publicrelations.nu.