Published On: Fri, Jan 27th, 2017

Barry’s Buzz- Jan. 20, 2017

Gold Coast Tiger Bay Club presents former Democratic Congressman Ron Klein and former Palm Beach County Republican Chairman Sid Dinerstein on Feb.8. http://www.goldcoasttigerbayclub.com/event/ron-klein-d-vs-sid-dinerstein-r-unusual-president-expect/

A new networking group has been formed for companies that provide a product or a service to the restaurant industry. Only one member per category is allowed. They are seeking members with a keen interest in doing new business. The group meets at noon on the first third Fridays at Chilis 21078 St. Andrews Blvd. in Boca Raton. For more information and to see if your category is filled, call 561.620.8888.

Temple Beth Shira 2017 fundraiser concert event Ultimate Rat Pack Live Tribute Concert as seen in Las Vegas One Night Only is 8 pm Jan. 28, use promo code “Barry” and save $5 Tickets from $35 to $75 per person. Order online at www.TempleBethShira.org or call 561.912.1453. Show is at Countess de hoernle Theatre at Spanish River High, 5100 Jog Rd., Boca Raton, Fl. 33496.

My son the waiter, A Jewish Tragedy runs through-Jan. 29 at the Mizner Park Cultural Arts Center, 201 Plaza Real Mizner Park, Boca Raton. The times are Thurs. and Sat. 2 and 7:30, Fri. 7:30, Sun. 2 p.m. Tickets: 1-844-448-7469 or visit mysonthewaiter.com.

The qualifying period is open for Boca Raton’s March 14 elections for two seats and a mayoral position on the City Council. Several candidates have indicated they will run, including incumbents Councilman Scott Singer for Seat A and Mayor Susan Haynie. Emily Gentile, Andrea O’Rourke and Andrew Thomson have indicated they will run for Seat B. Their campaigns will not become official until they file the required documents and fees with the city clerk’s office during the qualifying period. To qualify, candidates must bring required state and city forms to the clerk’s office on the third floor of City Hall, 201 W. Palmetto Park Road between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Boca Raton based Office Depot completed its sale of its European office supply business to the Aurelius Group, divesting European business with 6,000 employees to concentrate on North American business.

Relief is coming to one of southern Palm Beach County’s worst traffic bottlenecks, the intersection of Glades Road and Florida’s Turnpike, but it may take two years to deliver. Construction began Jan. 3 to add lanes to the heavily travelled junction west of Boca Raton, which frequently becomes clogged with commuters during morning and evening rush hours. Yet creating more room on the road means temporarily adding barricades, construction equipment and workers to an interchange where about 30,000 cars each day are exiting the Turnpike. The $8.3 million project calls for adding an additional right turn lane from westbound Glades Road to the entrance of the Turnpike, where at peak travel times traffic can back up for more than a mile with drivers merging onto the toll road. Plans include adding an additional right turn lane from the Turnpike off ramp to westbound Glades Road and widening the exit ramp from the northbound Turnpike to Glades Road to two lanes.

Other work includes installing new traffic signals, improving drainage and lighting and painting the Turnpike bridge over Glades Road. Getting it done involves shifting traffic on the northbound side of the Turnpike. Periodic lane closures, ramp closures and detours are also expected amid the construction, projected to last until the summer of 2018, according to the Florida Department of Transportation. Construction crews will try to limit temporary closures and detours to between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. on Sunday through Thursday to avoid worsening traffic congestion, according to state officials. The construction creates a new commuting hurdle for Glenn Griffith, general manager of the City Fish Market restaurant, located near the Glades Road and Turnpike interchange. Starting road construction amid Boca Raton’s influx of snowbirds during the winter spike in tourism likely makes for an even worse traffic crunch, according to Griffith. “It’s a nightmare out on the roads now and there is no construction going on,” Griffith said. “The long-term improvement, I do think is worth it.” Drivers can dial 5-1-1 for updated traffic information or go to http://www.FL511.com to check on the status of the Glades Road and Turnpike interchange project. They can also call 1-800-749-7453 or go to www.Floridasturnpike.com. Fixing Glades Road traffic woes may require more than adding lanes at the existing Turnpike interchange. State plans once called for creating another Turnpike interchange, at Palmetto Park Road, to give travelers an alternative route through southern Palm Beach County. That plan was scrapped in 2010 amid objections from residents west of Boca Raton and after a drop in toll revenues that followed the Great Recession. State leaders need to revive the Palmetto Park Road interchange proposal to help traffic west of Boca Raton.

West Boca Leaders (One of a kind networking group) is the best networking group in the area… First and Third Thursdays. Next meeting is Jan.12, 2017. 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 if you qualify. Fill out form on website and bring $60 for first quarter. For more information or questions, call 561.702.0000.

It’s happened again. In the wee hours of the morning, someone once again vandalized a holiday religious display symbolizing devil worship at a Boca Raton park. Since it went on display at Sanborn Square in early December this pentagram has attracted attention. It’s also attracted vandals, who simply cannot leave it alone. Some people can’t figure out what the devil this thing is. Others know exactly what it is. A pentagram, a symbol of devil worship or Satanism.

A potential solution to a troublesome sand shortage off Southeast Florida is tucked away in a massive water resources funding bill President Barack Obama signed into law last month. The 2016 Water Resources Development Act authorizes the Army Corps of Engineers to study the potential of using foreign sand, such as from the Bahamas, to widen shorelines and protect coasts from hurricanes like the ones that lashed the Big Bend and northeastern Florida last summer. In its “Shrinking Shores” investigation last year, the Naples Daily News reported (http://bit.ly/2iB1Kkz) Miami-Dade and Broward counties have exhausted their deposits of available offshore sand, leaving only sand that is too far offshore to retrieve or is nestled among protected reefs or other underwater marine features. A federal search found enough sand to last 50 years, but beach project managers told the Daily News the sand is too dark and risks triggering sand wars with other coastal counties. Project managers said Bahamian sand is the region’s best chance to end expensive and inefficient sand hauls from inland mines. But a ban, backed by the U.S dredging industry, on spending federal money on beach projects that use foreign sand stands in the way. Coastal communities can ill afford to forgo federal money for their beaches, the Daily News found. Florida members of Congress tried again last year, unsuccessfully, to lift the ban. The study provision in WRDA 2016 represents a compromise, said U.S. Rep. Lois Frankel, D-Boca Raton, who co-sponsored legislation to end the ban. “I think we’re moving in a good direction,” Frankel said. She said she would “be in touch” with the Corps of Engineers about whether the agency has money to conduct the study or money needs to be put in a budget. The WRDA provision put no timeline on the study, but she said she hopes it will be done by the next time Congress reauthorizes WRDA, scheduled for 2018.”The Secretary (of the Army) is authorized to undertake a study of the economic and noneconomic costs, benefits and impacts of acquiring by purchase, exchange or otherwise sediment from domestic and nondomestic sources for shoreline protection,” the provision states. “Upon completion of the study, the Secretary shall report to Congress on the availability, benefits and impacts of using domestic and nondomestic sources of sediment for shoreline protection,” it reads. An end to the ban on foreign sand is only part of any solution that would allow use of Bahamian sand. U.S. law, also backed by U.S. dredgers, prevents foreign-flagged vessels from bringing sand from the Bahamas to eroded Florida coastlines. To get around the law, sand would have to be transferred to a U.S.-flagged vessel, an expensive extra step.

The marching band of Alabama’s oldest private, historically black liberal arts college has accepted an invitation to perform at President-elect Donald Trump’s inaugural parade, organizers said. Talladega College’s band will march at Trump’s inauguration as other historically black schools such as Howard University, which performed at President Barack Obama’s first inaugural parade, said they won’t be marching in the Jan. 20 event The Presidential Inaugural Committee announced Friday that the Talladega College Marching Tornadoes was among 40 groups, including high school bands and military organizations, scheduled to perform in the parade. Some members of the Marist College band in upstate New York, also scheduled to perform at the inauguration, say they won’t participate, a school spokesman said

Arlene Herson presents a series of shows at Spanish River High School Theatre.  Thursday, January 26, at 7:30pm Julie Budd and Sal Richards.  Tuesday, February 14 at 7:30 Bobby Rydell and David Konig, Wednesday, March 15 at 7:30 Yakov Smirnoff.  Series (all 4 shows): $160; individual show: $50. For tickets and information, call 561-883-7760.

Congratulations to all 2017 OPAL Awards Honorees. The event, which took place January 14 at Boca West Country Club, had the following as Honorees: Jordan Zimmerman, Arthur Adler, Yvonne Boice-Zucaro, and Peter & Carmel Baronoff. The OPAL Awards honor outstanding people and leaders that have contributed through volunteerism to make our community a better place to live, learn, work and play. Proceeds from the gala will benefit the Rotary Club of Boca Raton’s service missions including Youth Scholarship Programs.

Dr. Robert Watson has a one-hour lecture describing the incredible untold story or the doomed ship in WWII followed by a book signing of his new book the Nazi Titanic, 3 pm Jan. 16 at Temple Shaarei Shalom, 9085 Hagen Ranch Road. Boynton Beach. $44 includes a signed hard cover copy of the book, ($26 Value), refreshments served. Register online at www.GrandEdventures.com or call 1.877.354.1077.

Lynn University and producer Jan McArt present, 7:30 p.m. Jan. 23; The Company Men: A Night of Hits 7:30 p.m. Jan. 28; Jan. 29, 4 p.m.; Wold Performing Arts Center. Reserve your tickets now. 561.237.9000 or visit lynn..edu/events for more information.

January 24 at 7:30 PM, Dr. Robert Watson will be interviewing the Honorable Alan Frumin, US Senate Parliamentarian. February 15 at 7:30 PM. He will be lecturing on Alexander Hamilton. Note: Both programs are already sold out, but there might be a standby list. Here is a link: http://levisjcc.org/.

Professional sports marketing icon Arthur Adler is the guest speaker at the B & P breakfast 8 a.m. Jan. 25. $36 per person, RSVP on line to https://jewishboca.org/rsvp_bp_industry_icon_event_012517/ or call Sonni Simon at 561.852.3128 or SonniS@bocafed.org for more info.

Sun-Sentinel, The Forum, South Florida Business Journal, Palm Beach Post contributed to this column. Barry R. 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.  Read his blog on www.barry’s.buzz. His blog is also on bocatribune.com, facebook.com/BarryEpstein and on his website: publicrelations.nu.

 

 

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