Sincere condolences to the family of Boca resident Sandy Grossman, eight-time Emmy Emmy Award-winning director and lead director of the NFL Super Bowl coverage on Fox Sports and CBS, working with Pat Summerall and John Madden for 21 years.
Michael Shaw is the new head basketball coach for the FAU Owls, taking over from Mike Jarvis.
Heather Shaw was appointed vice president and general manager for the flagship store of Saks Fifth Avenue at Town Center, Boca Raton.
Michelle Gunning, media teacher at Sandpiper Shores Elementary school was named Palm Beach County’s teacher of the year.
U.S. Rep. Lois Frankel, a Broward-Palm Beach County Democrat, is headed to the Ukraine when Congress is off next week for its Easter-Passover recess.
The Palm Beach Post reported that Boca Raton based casualty insurer Peoples Trust abruptly cancelled thousands of South Florida policies written less than 90 days ago, leaving policy holders out in the cold just 60 days before hurricane season. The insurer was established 6 years ago and became a takeover company for state-owned Citizens Property Insurance campaign to unload thousands of policies.
Le Macaron, a French bakery selling macaroons, gelato, coffee, tea and hot chocolate opened at 331 Plaza Real and Faces365 Spa opened at 21200 St. Andrews Blvd. in the Boca Village Square.
State and national politicos are urging Alex Sink to jump into the race for Florida Governor, with polls indicating she could win over Governor Rick Scott.
Improvements to the Turnpike/Glades Road intersection has been delayed until 2015.
Just released numbers show South Florida’s Indian tribes posted $2.2 billion in revenue for 2012, the latest year available, up $65 million from the previous year and recorded non-gambling revenue up 25% to $156 million. The Seminole Tribe pays the state $250 million per year for exclusive rights to table games like blackjack and baccarat.
Sales of South Florida distressed homes fell sharply last year with Palm Beach posting a little over 3,500 short sales or foreclosed home sales, reflecting 23% of all sales, off 29% from 2012. Stabilizing the market were a shrinking inventory and higher prices that led to more homeowners obtaining equity in their property and avoiding foreclosure. The trend is expected to continue through this year.
In a related matter, Palm Beach County developers are gearing up for a sizeable recovery in the home building market, with over 5,000 building permits issued last year and considerably more are on track for this year. Developers are looking for new neighborhoods to meet with what they say is pent-up demand for housing, pushing for more land in the Ag Reserve west of Delray and Boynton Beach.
Palm Beach International Airport served 2.8 million passengers in 2013.
The Palm Beach International Film Festival concludes April 10. Call 561.362.0003 or visit www.pbifilmfest.org for tickets, theatres and more information.
Steel Magnolias is at The Wick Theatre and Costume Museum, 7901 N. Fed. Hwy. to April 20. Call 561.995.2333 or visit www.thewick.org for tickets. The 2014/2015 season includes: Swing, Oct. 23-Nov. 16; Mame, Dec. 4-Dec. 28; La Cage aux Folles, Jan. 8-Feb. 15; Man of La Mancha, Feb. 26- March 22; Oklahoma, April 2-April 26 and Dames at Sea, May 7-24. Order tickets at www.thewick.org or call 561.995.2333.
The Plaza Theatre, 262 South Ocean Blvd., Manalapan presents Dirty Blonde, through April 13. See www.theplazatheatre.net or call 561.588.1820.
The G-D of Isaac is at the Broward Stage Door Theatre, 8036 W. Sample Road, Coral Springs through April 20. Visit www.stagedoortheatre.com or call 954.344.7765 for tickets and more information.
Palm Beach Dramaworks presents Horton Foote’s Dividing the Estate, through April 27 at the Don & Ann Brown Theatre, 201 Clematis Street, West Palm Beach. Visit www.palmbeachdramaworks.org or call 561.514.4042 for tickets and further information.
There is a free concert 5 to 7 pm at the Delray Beach Marketplace, northwest corner of Atlantic Ave. and Lyons Road.
Watch Movie Talk with Morrie Zryl on www.wrpbitv.com Thursdays at 6 p.m. and Fridays at 6 a.m.
Cafe Cinematheque Foreign Films with Shelly Isaacs is every Thursday at 10:30am at Movies of Delray 561-638-0020 and Friday at 1:00pm at Movies of Lake Worth 561-968-4545. Visit www.moviesofdelray.com for more information.
Draft Day, The Raid 2, Oculus and Rio 2 opens Friday at the Cinemark Palace and Premiere theatres. The Unkown Knownopens at the FAU Living Room Theatres. Draft Day and Mary of Nazareth opens at the Movies of Delray. Non Stop opens at the Movies of Lake Worth.
Teenage singing star, 17-year old Brooke Galmarini, will be entertaining with her country music vocal and instrumental selections at the Boca Raton Green Market on Saturday, April 12. The Ladies Guild of St. Paul Lutheran Church will also be exhibiting their handcrafted handiwork…all for sale. In its 17th year, the Market offers farm-to-table, freshly-picked produce (organics, too) from local growers, plants and flowers, bakery items…. and lots more, 8am to 1pm every Saturday at the southwest parking lot of Royal Palm Place, S Fed Hwy and SE Mizner Blvd in downtown Boca Raton. Open through May 10. Call (561) 299-8684 for information.
Boca Helping Hands hosts its 8th Annual Monopoly Event & Casino Game Night, 6 pm April 12 at the Via Mizner Golf and Country Club. Tickets start at $150. Call 561.367.1193 or visit www.bocahelpinghands.org for more information.
The Delray Beach Playhouse at 950 NW 9th St. in Lake Ida Park, off Swinton Ave. Delray Beach presents: The Pajama Game, through April 20; Doubt, May 24-June 8, and musical memories shows include; Come Fly With Me, Harlem On My Mind, Call Me Madam, Good News and Make Someone Happy. Visit www.delraybeachplayhouse.com or call 561.272.1281 x 4 for more information. Tickets are $30. Call 561.272.1281 x 4 for reservations.
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.
Renowned Flamenco Guitarist, Howard Greenblattperforms free to the public at the Sunday Matinee Music Series Concert, April 13, 3-4pm, at the Spanish River Library, 1501 NW Spanish River Blvd. Register at www.bocalibraryorg or call 561.299.8684 for information.
Keep the Faith “Bon Jovi Tribute Experience” Comes to Boca to help raise research funds for ALL cancers. 7:00 p.m. April 16 at the Funky Biscuit, 303 SE Mizner Blvd. Tickets are $15-$25. The first 50 people get a complimentary drink. Comedian and cancer survivor Wayne Felber opens. If you love Bon Jovi and hate cancer, join us for an amazing night. Please purchase tickets in advance at www.funkybiscuit.com and look at upcoming events.
The Boca Raton Republican club features a dinner and book signing with former Congressman Allen West, 6 to 8:30 p.m. April 17 at Deer Creek Golf Club, 2801 Deer Creek Country Club Blvd. Deerfield Beach. Costs are $40 members, $50 guests, $200 seating with Allen West, $400 Table sponsor (10) RSVP by March 23 to www.http://bocagop.com/Boca_GOP_Events.html or email info@bocagop.com for more information.
The Trouble With Doug is 7:30 p.m. April 23-May 11 at the Arts Garage, 180 NE 1st St. Delray. Visit www.artsgarage.org or call 561.450.6357 for tickets.
The West Boca High School Drama Dept. presents Death by Dessert, April 25 & 26. Tickets are $15. Call 561.672.2066.
The League of Women Voters of Palm Beach County presents Lynn University political professor Dr. Robert Watson at the 2014 Annual Luncheon, 11:30 a.m. April 26 at Benvenuto, 1730 N. Fed. Hwy. Boynton Beach. $55 per person/$500 per table of 10. Pay at www.lwvpbc.org, email: mercpo@hotmail.com or call 561.392.1262 for more information.
The South Palm Beach County Jewish and Christian communities will walk together in solidarity in commemoration of the Holocaust at the March of Remembrance on Yom HaShoah, (Holocaust Memorial Day), 3 p.m. April 27, 2014, at Boca Raton Christian School (470 NW 4th Avenue). Hundreds of community members will join Holocaust survivors, their families and their supporters to march together on the streets of Boca Raton. Their destination will be Temple Beth El of Boca Raton (333 SW 4th Avenue) for a meaningful Holocaust Remembrance program at 4:00 pm.
The Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County is “tipping off” its new men’s programming NBA Hall of Famer Walt “Clyde” Frazier, who led the New York Knicks to the franchise’s only two titles, 6:30 p.m. April 30, with dinner and drinks. Cost is $85.For more information, visit www.jewishboca.org/mens or contact Felice Naide at 561.852.6084 or felicen@bocafed.org. Call Lori Grossman at 561.852.3374 or email: lorigo@bocafed.org.
Office Depot Foundation hosts its 7th annual weekend in Boca May 2 and 3 at Office Depot’s corporate headquarters for nonprofit organizations and anyone in serving the community. Register at www.officedepotfoundation.org/weekeninboca.com.
A free Celebration of the Arts is 5:30, May 2 at the Lynn University Wold Performing Arts Center including a street fair, art and fashion gallery, a main stage performance at 7:30 pm featuring the Conservatory of Music and several talented actors, dancers, singers and poets. Reserve at 561.237.9000 or register at http://lynn.tix.com/Event.asp?Event=630472.
Reza-Pahlavi, the Crown Prince of Iran, is the featured speaker at the www.goldcoasttigerbayclub.com luncheon, 11:30 a.m. May 20. RSVP on the site or call 561.852.0000 for more information.
Florida will offer a 15-day sales tax holiday for hurricane preparedness supplies from June 1-14. During that time period, Floridians can purchase flashlights, batteries, weather radios and other basic hurricane supply items, all tax-free. Hurricane season lasts from June 1 to Nov. 30.
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 www.kravis.org/broadway or call 561.832.7469.
www.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.
You can win a pair of tickets to an upcoming movie at any Regal Entertainment Cinema Theatre. Send an email to pr@publicrelations.nu and two winners will be chosen each week.
Thanks to David Weir and the South Florida Business Report for contributing to this column.
Happy Passover and Easter to all my readers. Enjoy the holidays with your friends and loved ones or your family.
