Page Two: Barry’s Buzz – Dec. 23, 2015
With design work for the new U.S. Customs building at 90 percent, the state has kicked in another $1 million in funding. The original grants totaled $1.5 million. The additional funds for the U.S. Customs and Border Protection General Aviation Facility are from a Florida Department of Transportation Supplemental Joint Participation Agreement. The original cost estimate was $3 million, but now come in at $3.89 million because of a revised site plan and new security and access specs required by the Department of Homeland Security. That will include a ramp rehab and a new taxi way entrance.
The Toledo Rockets won the Boca Raton Bowl against the Temple Owls in a rain-soaked 32-17 victory at the FAU Stadium.
Boca Raton based Sun Capital Partners’ foundation has contributed a half million dollars to Boca Helping Hands over six years.
Renzo’s of Boca on Federal Highway has been purchased by new owners.
Organizers of the PurpleStride 5K Run/Family Friendly Walk are expecting throngs of people Sunday at Burt Aaronson South County Regional Park in West Boca. The race and walk at 11200 Park Access Road is aimed at raising funds and awareness for pancreatic cancer research. Opening ceremonies with Palm Beach County Mayor Mary Lou Berger begin at 7:30 a.m. while the race begins at 8 a.m.
In many South Florida schools, the cafeteria is now open for more than just lunch: There’s breakfast before students start classes and supper after they’re dismissed. It’s all meant to make sure no child goes hungry — and it’s been expanding in recent years, with all schools in Broward and Palm Beach counties now offering free breakfast to all students.
If you’ve been wanting to check out the new Margaritaville, you have a new way to get there. A Water Taxi stop officially opened Monday at the Margaritaville Hollywood Beach Resort’s 5 O’Clock Somewhere Bar & Grill. For schedule information, go to watertaxi.com.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas is at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, 201 SW 5th Ave. Ft. Lauderdale, to Dec. 27. Call 954.462.0222 for tickets or visit http://browardcenter.org/events/detail/dr-seuss-how-the-grinch-stole-christmas.
Chris Tomasso was promoted to President of First Watch effective January 1, 2016. First Watch has two stores in Boca Raton.
The 109,553 sq. ft. Class A Bank of America tower at 150 E. Palmetto Park Rd. in Boca sold by Clarion Partners to Dividend Capital Diversified Property Fund for $35.7 million and is 90% leased with Bank of America, Zen Offices, Veretech Holdings and Charles Schwab & Co among the tenants.
The 131,680 sq. ft. two building Meridian Office Center at 6551-6601 Park of Commerce Blvd. in Boca, leased to Cross Country Healthcare and Lexis Nexis.
West Boca Leaders is the best networking group in the area. One of a kind networking group. www.westbocaleaders.com. First and Third Thursdays. Next meeting is Jan. 7, 2016, 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. Tulipe Café, Boca Grove Shopping Center. $60 per quarter. Fill out form on site if you qualify and bring $60 for fourth quarter. For more information or questions, call 561.852.0000.
We can help you promote your business with a weekly internet television show also uploaded to Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter and YouTube with over 40,000 views. If you are interested please contact Danielle Silverman for a quote at bylnetwork@gmail.com or call her at 561.487.3690 or 561.715.1774. You can also click to schedule a time for you to connect: https://bylnetwork.youcanbook.me/.
The Big Short, Daddy’s Home, The Hateful Eight, Concussion and Joy opens at the Boca Cinemark and Premier. Heart of a Dog and Peggy Guggenheim: Art Addict opens at the FAU Living Room Theaters. The Big Short, Youth and Joy opens at the Movies of Delray. Star Wars; The Force Awakens in 3D and The Big Short opens at the Movies of Lake Worth. Creed, Spotlight and Good Dinosaur opens at the Last Picture Show in Tamarac. Joy, Danish Girl and Youth opens at the Classic Gateway in Fort Lauderdale. See capsules at http://www.publicrelations.nu/movie-capsules-by-barry-epstein-dec-18-2015/.
Gypsy will run to January 3 at The Stage Door Theatre, 8036 W. Sample Road, Margate. Tickets for Gypsy are $38 – $42; $16 student tickets are also available. Tickets may be purchased at the Broward Stage Door Theatre box office at 954-344-7765 or on line at www.stagedoortheatre.com.
Pompdour, a Brand New Musical by Michael Leeds & Kevin Black is at the Stage Door Theatre, 8036 W. Sample Road, Dec, 26 – Jan. 31. Tickets are $38-$42. Call 954.344.7765 or visit http://www.stagedoortheatre.com/.
The Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County presents U.S. Humanitarian Worker Alan Gross and former Ambassador Dennis Ross headlining the 2016 Sandler Family Major Gifts Event on January 6. Released from a Cuban prison after five years, Gross will share his experience, and Ross, a leading diplomat and expert in Middle East and Soviet policy, will share timely foreign policy insights with us and discuss his new book, Doomed to Succeed: The U.S.-Israel Relationship from Truman to Obama, which chronicles the intense relationship between our two countries. The $135 couvert includes valet parking. Cocktail attire is requested and dietary laws will be observed. A minimum $10,000 household gift to the UJA/Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County’s 2016 Annual Campaign is required to attend. For adult children participating in the L’Dor V’Dor initiative, only the couvert is required. For more information, please contact 561.852.6084 or felicen@bocafed.org.
The Beth Ami Congregation in Boca Raton, will be holding complete, informative, educational and timely events in the coming weeks: Thursday, January 7th at 10:30 AM, “A STUDY OF THE HISTORY OF ISRAEL FROM 72AD TO TODAY (Current issues and situations will be discussed); Thursday, January 14th at 10:30 AM, “ISLAM, ITS BEGINNINGS AND ITS THREATS TO THE WORLD”; Sunday, January 17th at 7PM, “CHRISTIANS AND JEWS LIVING UNDER ISLAM”, A Jew and a Christian, both raised in Egypt, will tell their stories and give an insight into the world of Islam and those infidels living under Islamic law. All above programs will have a full Q & A open to the audience. There is no charge for these events, except for Jan. 17 ($18 fee). Admission requires calling the synagogue office at 561-347-0331. A photo ID is required for admittance. The location of Beth Ami is 1401 NW 4th Avenue, Boca Raton, 33432.
The Jazz Singer will run from Jan. 8 through Jan. 24 at the Willow Theatre in Sugar Sand Park. Tickets are $35. Group tickets are $22. Call 561.347.3048 or visit www.willowtheatre.org/the-jazz-singer-the-musical for more information.
Golda’s Balcony is at the JCC, 9801 Donna Klein Blvd. Boca Raton, 7:30 pm Jan. 9. Tickets at 561.902.1500 or visit ticketsforplays.com.
NFL All-Pro Legend Jason Taylor will headline the Men’s Division Sports Night, 6:30 pm, Jan. 12 at Woodfield Country Club, 3650 Club Place, Boca Raton, co-chaired by Robert Pick and Ken Lebersfeld. The $90 couvert includes dinner and an open bar (dietary laws observed). A minimum Men’s gift of $180 to the 2016 UJA/ Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County Annual Campaign is required to attend. Guests whose Men’s campaign contribution is at least $1,800 are also invited to a VIP cocktail reception with Taylor, beginning at 5:30 p.m, featuring a meet-and-greet, photo opportunities and autographed sports memorabilia. For more information about men’s activities at Federation, contact Sonni Simon at 561.852.3128 or sonnis@bocafed.org.
The Gold Coast Tiger Bay Club presents Kamal Fereg, Infidel Living Under Sharia Law, 11:30 a.m. Jan. 13, 2016 at City Fish Market, Glades Road at the Turnpike. RSVP at http://www.goldcoasttigerbayclub.com/event/kamal-fereg-presents-infidel-living-under-sharia-law/. Call 561.852.0000 for more info.
Rotary Club of Boca Raton presents the OPAL awards, honoring outstanding people and leaders that have contributed through volunteerism to make our community a better place in which to live, work and play, 6:30 p.m. Jan. 16 at Boca West Country Club. Proceeds to benefit the Rotary Club of Boca Raton’s service missions including youth scholarship programs. This year’s honorees are John Kelly, Howard Schnellenberger, Susan Haynie, Dr. Kathy Schilling, Rabbi Jessica Brockman and Bill Allen. Visit www.rotaryclubbocaraton.com for more information.
An author’s talk by Alan Dershowitz — noted lawyer and legal and political commentator — on Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2016 highlights the Adolph & Rose Levis Jewish Community Center’s 2015-16 Cultural Arts Events Calendar on the Boca Raton campus of the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County.
Taking Sides by Ronald Harwood is at the JCC Sandler Center, Jan. 21-Feb. 7. Call 561.558.2512 for tickets.
Goldie Hawn will headline the Boca Raton Regional Hospital Foundation Black Tie gala, sponsored by longtime Boca philanthropists Dick and Barbara Schmidt, 6:30 pm to 11 pm, Jan. 23, with Heat Wave band returning by popular demand. Tickets are $400 and sponsorships range from $1200 to $100,000 for such amenities as vale, cocktails and registration. Sponsorships at the $15,000 level and above will include a VIP reception with Hawn. Call 561.955.5186 or email: kread@brrh.com for more information and tickets.
Wings of Freedom Tour will be at the Boca Raton Airport on Airport Road, Jan. 28-31. Visit www.cfdn.org or call 1-800-568-8924 for more information.
The Caribbean Cowboy Ball is January 30, 2016. Tickets are $175. Corporate sponsorship opportunities are available. Call 561.347.6799 for details.
ADT’s chief executive Naren Gurshaney will be honored with the Florida Atlantic University’s 2015 Business Leader of the Year Award 8 a.m. Feb. 17 at the Boca Raton Resort & Club, 501 E. Camino Real, Boca Raton. Call 561.297.4732 or email tmay@fau.edu for more information and tickets.
Henry Winkler speaks at The Event 2016, 6:30 p.m. Feb. 23, at B’nai Torah Congregation. Register at jewishboca.org/theevent or call 561.852.5031.
Pulitzer Prize-Winning Syndicated Columnist and Commentator Dr. Charles Krauthammer speaks at the St. Andrews Country Club, Feb. 29, 2016. For more information, call 561.835.0510 or email: southeast@afmda.org.
The 10th Annual Festival of the Arts BOCA, presented by the Schmidt Family Centre for the Arts, will have everyone “on their feet,” March 4 – 16, 2016 at the Mizner Park Amphitheater, 590 Plaza Real and Mizner Park Cultural Arts Center, 201 Plaza Real (2nd Floor) in Boca Raton. Among the performers and authors recently announced as part of the lineup for the 10th annual Festival of the Arts BOCA are: Herb Alpert and his wife; violinist Joshua Bell conducting the Lynn Philharmonia in Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons”; a cirque act and “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” each with a live orchestra; and CNN’s Fareed Zakaria. Also on the bill are an English translation of Mozart’s “The Magic Flute” and 12-year-old jazz pianist Joey Alexander, who performed at Lincoln Center and the Apollo Theater last year.
JARC 30th Annual Gala Dinner Dance is March 6, 2016 at Boca West Country Club, featuring Live and Silent Auction. For more info, call 561.558.2572.
Merry Christmas to all my readers who celebrate the holiday.
Boca Raton Magazine, West Boca News, South Florida Business Journal, Sun-Sentinel, Jewish Journal and Palm Beach Post contributed to this 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. Read his blog on www.barry’s.buzz. His blog is also on bocatribune.com, facebook.com/BarryEpstein and on his website: publicrelations.nu.
