Barry’s Buzz – June 1, 2016
St. Andrew’s School, a private Episcopal school in Boca Raton, has been rocked by the abrupt departure of its headmaster and the hiring of two law firms to investigate whether any students have been sexually abused there. Whether the two events are related is unknown, but the timing of the announcements less than a month apart has rattled parents and fueled rampant speculation in school circles. Parents learned of both events via emails from the school’s board of trustees, whose members include Bishop Peter Eaton of the Episcopal Diocese of Southeast Florida. But parents say the school has refused to provide key details or respond to questions. The lack of information has jarred them, particularly after the school’s May 17 announcement that it had retained the prominent law firm Holland & Knight to “investigate any reports of sexual abuse of Saint Andrew’s students.”
Boca YMCA president and CEO for ten years, Dick Pollock is retiring July 8 to be succeeded by Jason Hagensick, formerly of Austin, Texas.
Coconut Cove water park in the Burt Aaronson South County Regional Park in West Boca, will be open 7 days a week starting June 3, after school ends.
Both the city of Boca Raton and Palm Beach County will rely on social media to get the word out about hurricane preparation plans, and in some cases even after a storm hits.
Anat Jatwes from Donna Klein Jewish Academy (DKJA) is the 2016 winner of the Grinspoon Teacher of Excellence Award. The award is sponsored by the Department of Jewish Education of the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County and the Harold Grinspoon Foundation to recognize local teachers who make a lasting impact on the lives of Jewish children, and contribute to excellence in Jewish education. Jatwes was nominated by Yafa Levit, DKJA Principal of Lower School Judaic Studies.
West Boca Leaders is the best networking group in the area. One of a kind networking group. First and Third Thursdays. Next meeting is June 2, 2016, 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. Tulipe Café, Boca Grove Shopping Center on Powerline Road between Glades and Palmetto Park Roads. $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.
New Art Gallery Exhibit at the Spanish River Library through June 25. Well-known local artist, Jim Campbell, will be showing his oil paintings and acrylic paintings in the Friends Art Gallery. This collection will include favorites from his travels abroad and some still-life compositions done in his studio. The Library is located at 1501 NW Spanish River Blvd.
The Delray Beach Playhouse is concluding its season with a Golden Age Murder Mystery by Agatha Christie, the most successful mystery writer of all time. The play is called BLACK COFFEE and it is the only play Christie ever wrote featuring her most famous character, the brilliant Belgian detective Hercule Poirot. The Show runs to June 5, 2016. Tickets are available on-line at delraybeachplayhouse or by calling the box office at 561-272-1281 Ext. 4. Tickets are $30.00. [Student tickets are half-priced.]
Putting It Together will run to June 19 at Stage Door Theatre, 8036 Sample Road, Margate. Tickets for Putting It Together are $38 – $42; $16 student tickets are also available at the Broward Stage Door Theatre box office at 954-344-7765 or on line at stagedoortheatre.com.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows, Me Before You and Popstar opens at the Boca and Boynton Cinemarks. The Idol and Deephan opens at the FAU Living Room Theatres. Me before you and To Life opens at the Movies of Delray and the Movies of Lake Worth. Lobster and Dark Horse opens at the Classic Gateway. To Life, Nice Guys and Barbershop the Next Cut opens at the Last Picture show.
Boca Raton Mayor Susan Haynie will talk about the city’s plans during her annual State of the City address June 7. Haynie is scheduled to speak during the Federation of Boca Raton Homeowner Associations meeting at 8:30 a.m. at the Boca Raton Community Center, located at 150 Crawford Blvd.
The Gold Coast Tiger Bay Club will feature Donald Trump’s former butler, Anthony “Tony” Senecal, 11;30 a.m. June 8 at City Fish Market, 7940 Glades Road across from Turnpike exit. RSVP at GoldCoastTigerBayClub.Com now. Limited seating.
Local estate professionals are invited to a special opportunity on June 9, 2016 at 5:00 pm to learn from two national and international experts and earn Continuing Education Units amid premium networking and a cocktail reception. The Jacobson Jewish Community Foundation Professional Advisory Committee (PAC) anticipates about 150 guests at its 32nd Annual Seminar for Professionals at The Polo Club, 5400 Champion Blvd. in Boca Raton. The seminar, featuring guest speakers David Cooney, Partner at Ogier, Cayman Islands; and Al W. King III, Co-Founder, Co-Chairman and Co-Chief Executive Officer, South Dakota Planning Company. Registration will begin at 5:00 pm, the seminar will begin at 5:30, and the cocktail reception will follow, with dietary laws observed. The couvert for the program and reception is $75 for PAC members and $90 for non-members. For more information, please contact Lisbeth Rock Cauff at 561.852.3188 or lisbethc@bocafed.org. To register, visit jewishboca.org/pacseminar.
Summer in the City: Music and Movies Under the Stars will run June 3 through Aug. 19 at the Mizner Park Amphitheater in downtown Boca Raton. On nights with free concerts, the event will start at 7:30 p.m., with the exception of Father’s Day when the concert will start at 7 p.m. Movies are set to begin at 8 p.m. Here’s a list of the free performances and movie showings: June 10: The Symphonia Boca Raton; June 17: Billy Joel tribute by Turnstiles; June 19: FAU Old Time Concert in the Park; June 24: Led Zeppelin tribute by Zoso; July 8: “Minions” showing; July 22: David Bowie tribute by Stardust Memories; July 29: Bob Marley tribute by Ruffhouse; Aug. 5: “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” showing; Aug. 12: Eagles tribute by The Long Run; Aug. 19: The Symphonia.
Christina Applegate will be the keynote speaker at the 13th annual Go Pink luncheon to benefit the Boca Raton Regional Hospital Foundation in the fight against breast cancer. Save the date: October 21, 2016.
The 2016/2017 Broadway series at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts include Cinderella, Cabaret, The Little Mermaid, Something Rotten!, Matilda and Finding Neverland.
The Marmot Boca Raton Bowl date has been set. The bowl game will take place at 7 p.m. on Dec. 20 at the Florida Atlantic University Stadium. The game will be broadcast on ESPN. It will be the third annual bowl game for FAU.
Sun-Sentinel, South Florida Business Journal, Boca Life Magazine,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; His motto is: Public Relations is the enemy of anonymity. Email: pr@publicrelations.nu, or fax column items to 561.451.0000.
