All Blog Posts (1,933)

By Steve Plunkett

Ocean Ridge town commissioners can still decide to contract with the Sheriff’s Office for police services, despite news reports that Sheriff Ric Bradshaw has pulled the proposal.

“It’s not off the table,” Town Manager Ken Schenck said May 16.

Schenck said sheriff’s officials told him they would not actively pursue a contract after Ocean Ridge residents voiced strong support for keeping the town’s police force at a standing-room-only…

Letter delivered to Seaspray neighbors: Green_Letter%282%29.pdf

(Note: To protect privacy, the name and address has been removed by The Coastal…

By Tim Pallesen

     A federal judge has granted a preliminary injunction to stop Delray Beach from enforcing its controversial transient housing ordinance against the Caron Foundation.

    U.S. District Judge William Dimitrouleas stopped short of ordering the city to grant Caron’s request to open a sober house at 1232 Seaspray Ave.

  But he said Delray Beach must…

Boca Delray Music Society Luncheon: Delray Beach Club

Celebration of Old Delray: The Colony Cabana Club…

* Ocean Ridge will hear a PBSO proposal at 6 p.m. May 8 at Town Hall.

By Steve Plunkett



    The proposal to switch police services to the county sheriff got Manalapan neighbors talking, but town commissioners fear much of what’s being said is wrong.   …

By Tim O’Meilia

    

The next time a minimal hurricane threatens to slosh ashore in south Palm Beach County, most coastal residents won’t be ordered to flee.

    In fact, evacuation of the barrier islands from the Palm Beach Inlet to Boca Raton won’t be considered until a storm puffs…

By Ron Hayes



On Dec. 1, 1953, somebody in Lake Worth said, “Let’s put on a show!”

Six decades later, the Lake Worth Playhouse is still putting on shows.

That first production was Springtime For Henry, and theater-goers had to climb three…

School is still in session, but the auto transport trucks have been loading up for weeks and the clubs have been busy with their end-of-season gatherings.  

Summer must be just around the corner.

    You may think those of us who stay here during the summer months will be taking it easy, sipping piña coladas poolside while you’re away. Sounds good, but instead many of us will be busily involved as our towns make decisions that ultimately may have an impact on your winter…

Barbara D’Errico is retiring after 20 years of supervising the Briny Breezes Memorial Chimes. Photos by Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

By Ron Hayes



Ring out the old! Ring in the…

Because of a reporting error, The Coastal Star incorrectly reported that Greenacres has a contract with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office for police services. The error appeared in the April edition in a story about a Sheriff’s Office proposal to Ocean Ridge.

Actress June Lockhart signs an autograph for Coastal Star photographer Tim Stepien after the Silver Screen Splash brunch that was held at The Lake Pavilion in West Palm Beach on April 15. Stepien was named after Timmy in the Lassie TV series in which Lockhart…

Ocean Ridge and county pocket residents Greg Juisly (left), Chris Dick, Scott Hargash and Jim Connolly sample the brews at Delray’s Old School Beerfest on April 21. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star…

The view of the construction site from one neighbor’s driveway used to be blocked by a banyan tree, vines, shrubs and other vegetation. Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

By Steve…

By Tim O’Meilia



    Briny Breezes’ neighbors can rest easy. The oceanfront town-mobile home park has scotched any thought of high-rise condos and oceanfront hotels and will focus on a more low-key future — at least for now.

    The nine-member board of the corporation that owns the park unanimously decided April 11 not to pursue the proposal by a Long Island developer to buy the park at a price to be named later.

    “We did not have enough information on…

Briny Breezes Alderman Kathleen Bray resigned April 27, saying her husband’s out-of-state job prevented her from devoting the time necessary to serve the town.

    Spending time with her husband, Larry, in Pennsylvania forced Bray to attend several meetings by conference call in the past year.

“When I’m not here, I don’t have a feel for what’s going on in the town,” she said.

    Bray was appointed to the council in August 2008, ironically, after her husband, an alderman,…

By Tim Pallesen   

    

The Caron Foundation can’t sue Delray Beach for denying a Seaspray Avenue sober house because the request hasn’t been officially denied, an attorney for the city argued in court.

    The surprising twist came during an April 16 federal court hearing where the city also argued that Caron can’t claim a loss of income because it hasn’t placed recovering alcoholics and drug addicts into a second house where the city has given approval to…

By Margie Plunkett



    The new beach pavilion in Delray Beach is $23,700 closer to completion.

City Commission received a check in that amount as a community donation to build the replacement pavilion — a contribution that now totals $59,165 for the structure that will mark the start of beach master plan implementation, according to the Beach Property Owners Association.

    The BPOA presented the check to support the pavilion in April, raised from its…

By Margie Plunkett



The fire tax apparently is still too hot to touch in Delray Beach.

The assessment fee made its way back on the City Commission’s agenda as an item that would allow the property appraiser’s office to include it on tax bills if needed to support the budget next year or later.

But commissioners voted the move down 3-2 after discussing both the fee’s sensitivity as well as its possible necessity.

“I don’t think we’re quite ready to discuss…

By Tim Pallesen



    The owner of the Seagate Hotel and Spa has offered $7 million to buy the struggling Hamlet Golf and Country Club.

    “We feel it’s a win-win for both sides,” said E. Anthony Wilson, chairman of the Seagate Hospitality Group, after making the offer to country club members on April 16.

    The purchase already has been approved by the country club’s board of directors. Members will vote this month on whether to accept it.

    Seagate…

By Margie Plunkett

    

The Delray Beach Parking Management Advisory Board voted unanimously to recommend to city commissioners a metered parking system on downtown Atlantic Avenue, intended to shift longer-term parking onto secondary streets, lots and garages.

    The board adopted a plan based on smart meters to allow patrons of downtown merchants enough time to shop, yet turn over the parking so that spots are available to short-term parkers. The system also…