Boca Digest

Never Miss A Thing In Boca

Tim Stoddart

Stranger set to run 200 miles for Boca Raton boys with rare disease

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Two brothers battling a rare and terminal disease need extra help getting around.

A complete stranger is stepping up so the family can travel together.

A New Jersey man will be running across New Zealand to raise thousands of dollars for the two siblings with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), to purchase a wheelchair-accessible van for the Horton family who currently need better transportation for the boys.

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Recent News 

6 Most Instagrammable Locations in Boca Raton – A quick list of the most pictures worthy places in Boca Raton! Which one has number one? I think you’ll be surprised.

Holocaust survivor from Boca Raton shares her story ahead of Tuesday night honor – Boca Raton resident Rita Hilton is sharing her story of surviving the Holocaust. Hilton will accept the prestigious Elie Wiesel Award on behalf of all South Florida survivors at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum’s 2019 South Florida ‘What You Do Matters’ Dinner Tuesday night.

Finally, plans are set for Boca Raton park on Intracoastal Waterway – Amid the many construction projects in downtown Boca Raton, a new 6-acre park, on both sides of the Palmetto Park Road bridge, is set to offer a respite from the building boom.

Upcoming Events

Super Sunday 2019 at Boston’s on the Beach – Join us for the Ultimate Super Sunday 2019 Party at the South Florida home of the New England Patriots!! Ticket prices include: Guaranteed reserved seat/ barstool that you get to pick, premium open bar (includes drinks, house wine, all draft and bottled beers )

33rd Annual Meseum Art Festival (2/2, 2/3)– The streets of Mizner Park will once again be filled with a tremendous selection of art from across the country as the Boca Raton Museum of Art presents its 33rd Annual Museum Art Festival.

Pirate Invasion 5K/10K Run/walk Boca Raton – (2/2) –On February 2nd, Presenting Sponsor PurePoint Financial, Florence Fuller Child Development Centers (FFCDC), The Rotary Club of Boca Raton, and The Boca Raton Children’s Museum (BRCM) will join forces to benefit the under-served children in our community from 6 weeks through college age with scholarships!

2019 Boca Raton Outdoor Juried Art Festival (2/2) – Enjoy a nice evening with food, music, drinks, and fun, promoting a positive start to your new year and well being!! Complimentary Stretching from Ex-Tensions, Acupuncture, Presentations, Natural beauty products, healthy and vegan food options, and local fitness professionals

Boca Raton Fine Art Show (1/26, 1/27) – Watercolor artist, Claudia Hafner is participating. Booth 113. Original watercolor paintings, large-format reproductions and giclee prints. Sea Turtles, birds, wildlife, flora.

Victor Wainwright & The Train Featuring The Victor Wainwright Horns (2/2) – Join us at The Venu for a magical evening as we pay homage to some of the greatest artists of all time.

Boca Raton man wants stolen comic books worth more than $1M returned

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Collecting comic books has been a lifelong adventure for Randy Lawrence.

“My dad kind of started me off,” he said. “I think it was his way of getting me to read.”

Over the past 50 years, his love for comic books has grown, as has his collection — that is until recently, when he stopped by his storage unit.

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Recent News 

Subculture Coffee among restaurants offering free food and drinks for furloughed federal workers – A South Florida-based restaurant and nightclub company is offering free meals and drinks for federal workers and their immediate family who are not getting paid during the government shutdown, which is now the longest in U.S. history.

Six Broward County teens face auto burglary charges in Boca Raton – Boca Raton police say they have been kept busy tracking down and arresting a half-dozen teens suspected of burglarizing automobiles in the city. Police say they stopped 18-year-old Tyre McNeal and a 15-year-old who were trying door handles in Vistazo. They say McNeal was in an unreported stolen vehicle from Vista Hills.

Upcoming Events

Tim Reynolds is Playing at the Funky Biscuit (1/26)– With a musical career spanning more than thirty-five years, guitarist and sonic innovator Tim Reynolds is known for his masterful command of melody and timing and for his uncanny ability to improvise on any instrument he touches.

Romeo & Juliet at Mizner Park Amphitheater (1/25, 1/26, 1/27) – Experience the passion, romance, and dazzling swordplay of this classic but profoundly relevant and entertaining production of Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet; one of the most famous and moving plays ever written. FREE admission for all to the beautiful Mizner Park Amphitheater in the heart of Boca Raton, Florida.

New Year’s Resolution Health and Wellness Event (1/25) – Enjoy a nice evening with food, music, drinks, and fun, promoting a positive start to your new year and well being!! Complimentary Stretching from Ex-Tensions, Acupuncture, Presentations, Natural beauty products, healthy and vegan food options, and local fitness professionals

Boca Raton Fine Art Show (1/26, 1/27) – Watercolor artist, Claudia Hafner is participating. Booth 113. Original watercolor paintings, large-format reproductions and giclee prints. Sea Turtles, birds, wildlife, flora.

A Night with the Stars: Sinatra, Streisand, and Bennett Tribute (1/26) – Join us at The Venu for a magical evening as we pay homage to some of the greatest artists of all time.

Politics and Business

Ted Deutch: If Donald Trump told Michael Cohen to lie it violates oath of office –Boca Raton’s Democratic U.S. Rep. Ted Deutch said on a national broadcast Friday morning that if reports are true that President Donald Trump told his then-lawyer Michael Cohen to lie about Russia then that would constitute a violation of Trump’s oath of office.

Polen Capital Increases Long-Term Alignment with Additional Equity Purchase–Polen Capital announced that on January 4, 2019, it purchased an additional 11% of the firm from the Polen Family Trust. Employees now own 71% of the firm. This purchase is part of the firm’s business strategy to further expand employee equity participation and to continue to align its success with the long-term success of its clients.

Joseph’s Classic Market Coming to Town Center at Boca Raton – Simon, a global leader in premier shopping, dining, entertainment and mixed-use destinations, announced that Joseph’s Classic Market will join Town Center at Boca Raton, opening in spring 2020. Joseph’s Classic Market will span 14,700 square feet situated on the former Piñon Grill and Blue Martini locations.

DeSantis pledges at least $2 million for Jewish school security, wants to sanction Airbnb –DeSantis said Tuesday he wants to sanction Airbnb over the company’s decision not to list properties in the West Bank. He also pledged to provide at least $2 million in funding for security at Jewish day schools.

Boca Company Sued For Exploding Vape Pen Battery -A South Florida man was critically injured by an exploding “vape pen battery” purchased at a Boca Raton Vaping store. That’s the claim made in a new lawsuit filed in  Palm Beach County Circuit Court. According to the suit, Robert Cazenave purchased a vape pen battery manufactured by GTek Solutions, LLC, a now-defunct south Florida company. That battery was allegedly sold by “Boca Glades Market, LLC,” which operates under the names “Vapes and More III” and “BocaVapes, INC” in Boca Raton.

Florida man accused of trying to sell stolen comic books worth nearly $100K

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Comics part of $1M collection stolen in Boca Raton

PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — A Florida man was arrested in Arizona after police said he tried to sell stolen comic books valued at about $100,000.

On Jan. 8, Phoenix police said a man later identified as Phillip Weisbauer of Royal Palm Beach, Fla., went to a Phoenix comic book store to negotiate the sale of four comic books with the store manager.

The comic books are said to be worth about $97,000.

Officer said Weisbauer left the store, but returned two days later to haggle with the store owner.

When he left the store after his second trip, he was followed by police to a home where he was arrested on Jan. 10.

Police found four comic books, which were among 446 reported stolen from a storage unit in Boca Raton. The stolen comics are valued at more than $1 million.

Past, Present, Future Comics in West Palm Beach buys, sells and trades thousands of comics a year.

“The collectors all know each other,” said Past, Present, Future Comics employee Sal Ciano.

So, when the comic book heist occurred in Boca Raton, the store was on high alert.

“Our owner, Mark Gallo, he’s one of those collectors, so he kind of knows. He heard about these books when they went missing, so if somebody tried to sell them here, it would have raised flags,” said Ciano.

It’s unknown if any of the stolen property was insured. But since they are constantly changing hands, more often than not people don’t spend the money to insure them.

“When you have books at that high value, and that grade and that kind of thing, they are notable books. Only certain collectors have them at any given time, so you kind of know who they are it’s not that big of a circle,” said Ciano.

However, graded comic books each come with a bar code that stores typically check to see if it’s stolen or who it’s registered to before buying or trading.

Other than the four that were recovered in Arizona, it’s unclear if any of the other 446 books that were stolen have been found.

This article was originally posted on Abc News. Click the link to view the original article.

There’s Been Another Accident with the Brightline Train

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Image Courtesy of The Miami Herald

A man was trying to cross the tracks with his bicycle when he was hit by a Brightline train Thursday afternoon. Boca Raton police spokesman Mark Economou said the unidentified man “was clipped by a northbound train.” The accident happened around 2 p.m. at Camino Real and South Dixie Highway in Boca Raton.

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Recent News 

Blue Martini Boca Raton closed; Italian market opening in its place – After a rocky history with the city, Blue Martini Boca Raton closed this month, making room for a new Italian specialty market. A a popular late-night lounge at the Town Center mall complex, closed its doors this month after a tumultuous relationship with the city.

Aspiring Elementary Ed Teacher Inspires Young Minds – Inspired by her fourth-grade teacher, Breanna Carter ’18 of Springboro, Ohio, prepared herself to become the teacher she aspired to be. “She made learning easy and fun, which caused me to want to do the same.”

Upcoming Events

BocaCann! Cannabis Education & Networking (1/21)– It’s an exciting time in the cannabis industry and we’ve teamed up with Dr. Barry Gordon, Dr. Michelle Weiner, and Dr. Anya Temer as well as industry experts and sponsors to bring the community together in downtown Boca Raton.

Sunday Funday with Boca Save our Beaches (1/21) 

At Boca Save our Beaches, we believe that education is key, no matter what your age is.

  • Global wildlife populations have fallen by 60% in 4 decades
  • 90% of seabirds have plastics in their stomachs
  • There will be more plastic than fish in the sea by 2050

Picnic at the Park (1/21) – Burgers, dogs, and all the typical picnic fixings. Relax and socialize with freethinkers. A great way to unwind after cleaning up litter from the roadside. We’ll post the pavilion number on the day of the event.

The Big Rock Band (1/19) – Big 105.9’s very own Big Rock Band is an 8-piece Rock cover band from South Florida whose modern take on classic rock from the 70’s thru 90’s has established them as leaders in the party-rock revolution Blending elements of Rock and Groove for their distinct high energy performance. Big Rock Band sounds like the musical love child of Sly & the Family Stone , Aerosmith, and Pink Floyd.

Exceptional Singles Party (1/19) – Are you Exceptional, Single and Fun? Are you between the ages of 30s to 50s? Would you like to meet some amazing singles in your area? Then this event is for you! Come to meet some exceptional people, have fun and even more. Great opportunity to meet the matchmaker and learn about the magic of matchmaking. Please dress to impress, that first impression truly matters.

Politics and Business

Gov. DeSantis’ suspensions shake up South Florida politics – Gov. Ron DeSantis’s aggressive assertion of his authority to remove elected officials left Democrats wondering whether he was targeting their party and who might be next.

Boca’s Steven Abrams steps down after 30 years in political arena – For District 4 County Commissioner Steven L. Abrams of Boca Raton, it was not just time to step down after nine and a half years on the county board, the day marked the finale of 30 years of public service. Those three decades also included five terms as a Boca Raton city council member, mayor of the city, past president of the Palm Beach County League of Cities, Planning and Zoning Board member and founding board member of the Florida League of Mayors.

A closer look at Boca Raton health-focused restaurant Farmer’s Table – “Eating well shouldn’t require sacrifice – whether that’s time, money or quality ingredients – which is the driving force behind everything we do at Farmer’s Table,” said Giannuzzi, who collaborates with Schenk on the menus. “We’re more than a restaurant; we are a destination to grab a meal, linger and celebrate a lifestyle of wellness.”

Billionaire family sells new mansion in Boca Raton for $14M – A co-owner of the Sheetz convenience store chain in the Mid-Atlantic has sold a recently completed mansion on the Intracoastal Waterway in Boca Raton for $14 million. G. Robert Sheetz sold the 9,333-square-foot home at 1160 Royal Palm Way, in the Royal Palm Yacht and Country Club, to the Bellissimo Land Trust, with attorney Andrew B. Blasi as trustee. The price equated to $1,500 per square foot.

Boca Raton Regional Hospital seeks to raise $250M, expand campus – Boca Raton Regional Hospital has launched a campaign to raise $250 million for expanding, including the construction of a patient tower on its campus.The announcement came as the nonprofit hospital prepares for a merger with Miami-based Baptist Health South Florida. That affiliate is expected to be finalized in  summer 2019. However, BRRH will maintain its identity.

Michelle Suskauer Honored as South Palm Beach FAWL’s “Woman Lawyer of the Year”

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Florida Bar President-elect Michelle R. Suskauer has been honored with the Woman Lawyer of the Year Award by the Past Presidents’ Committee of the South Palm Beach County Chapter of Florida Association for Women Lawyers. Suskauer received the honor on Thursday, March 29, during a ceremony at Woodfield Country Club in Boca Raton. “The decision on who would be our honoree this year was not a difficult one because Michelle’s list of achievements render her an ideal recipient for this award,” said Ellen Leibovitch, Past President of SPBC FAWL and chair of the event.

“I’m so honored that the Past Presidents of the South Palm Beach FAWL have given me this wonderful award,” said Suskauer, who will become the sixth woman president of The Florida Bar when she is sworn in at the Bar’s Annual Convention on June 15. “I hope this honor will inspire women around the state to continue to seek out leadership positions both within their local voluntary bar associations and The Florida Bar.”

Suskauer is a West Palm Beach criminal defense attorney and member of The Florida Bar Board of Governors and its Executive Committee. She has chaired The Florida Bar’s Board Disciplinary Review Committee, the Board Communications Committee, the Special Committee on Gender Bias, the Strategic Planning Committee and the Annual Convention Committee.

Suskauer is also Past President of the Palm Beach County Bar Association, Past President of Palm Beach County Chapter of FAWL and currently President of the Board of Directors of the Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County.

Suskauer is an AV-rated attorney by Martindale-Hubbell and she has been recognized in the annual Florida Super Lawyers Magazine as one of Florida’s top criminal defense attorneys and by Florida Trend Magazine as one of Florida’s “Legal Elite” in its annual statewide poll of attorneys.
Suskauer earned a degree in communications at Boston University in 1988. She received her law degree from American University in 1991 and has practiced criminal law in Palm Beach County ever since. Suskauer is a partner with Dimond Kaplan & Rothstein, P.A., a law firm that focuses on criminal defense and finance fraud with offices in West Palm Beach, Miami, Los Angeles and New York.

Prodigious Violinist Lara St. John Joins South Florida Symphony in Masterwork Series III

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The encounter of virtuosos in South Florida continues in this 20th season of the South Florida Symphony. For the new concert series, the renowned Canadian violinist and conductor Lara St. John joins the orchestra in “Masterworks III: Beethoven and Vivaldi’s Expressions of Nature.” The program also includes a rendition of In This Heart, from composer Lisa Nardi.  The concerts will be presented at the Tennessee Williams Theater in Key West on February 28th, at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts on March 1st, and the Spanish River Worship Center in Boca Raton on March 2nd.

Lara St. John, described as a “high powered soloist and a phenomenon,” began playing the violin when she was two years old. She made her first appearance as a soloist with orchestra at age four, and made her European debut wit Portugal Gulbenkian Orchestra when she was ten. The energy and virtuosity she puts into her interpretations are intense and she bring music to life.

In this Masterworks Series program,St. John will join the South Florida Symphony Orchestra to perform Antonio Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, a group of  four violin concerti, each of which gives a musical expression to a season of the year. The masterpieces were published in 1725 in Amsterdam.  “I have performed the Four Seasons with Lara. Many have performed the Vivaldi Four Seasons, Lara turns the music into theatre. Through her violin we see the dance and song of country folk, the barking dog, the sleeping drunkard. The Four Seasons is full of activity and Lara St. John bring this to her audience leaving us all feeling such joy,” explains Maestra Alfonso.

To round up his masterful ode to nature, the Orchestra will be playing Beethoven’s Symphony 6th – Pastoral -, one of the composer’s central works and favored by many listeners. The Pastoral represents the profound love of the composer toward nature and the equilibrium he found in his frequents walks in the country.

Regarding In this Heart, which will set the tone for the show as the opening piece, it was originally composed for the film Carlito’s Way, Rise to Power. In words of Nardi, “it has evolved to become an expressive concert work of deep emotions.”

Maestra Sebrina María Alfonso, South Florida Symphony founder and conductor, is exhilarated about this series as well as the many other new projects and partnerships that she and her team planned to celebrate their 20th anniversary. For the exhilarating and diverse 20th Anniversary series they have already partnered with the  renowned Martha Graham Company and Siudy Flamenco, and GRAMMY-award winner cellist Zuill Bailey, as well as Broadway actress and magnificent singer Liz Callaway.  “Our goal is to continue growing and educating South Florida’s residents and visitors about the value that music brings to their lives. We are thrilled about the success the previos masterworks series have had in bringing together dynamic and exhilarating performances and look forward to welcoming the community to this series,” said Maestra.

For ticket sales and additional information on schedules, please visit https://www.southfloridasymphony.org/events.

Ashley Judd, Time Magazine’s Person Of The Year, To Headline Child Rescue Coalition’s 2018 Gala

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Ashley Judd

Ashley Judd, actress, activist and Time Magazine’s 2017 “Person of the Year”, will serve as the keynote speaker for  Child Rescue Coalition’s third annual “Eat, Drink and Be Giving” gala on Friday, March 9, 2018. The nonprofit organization rescues children from sexual abuse by building powerful technology for law enforcement, free of charge, to track, arrest, and prosecute child predators.

A humanitarian, political activist and a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, Judd was recently namedTime Magazine’s Person of the Year along with fellow “Silence Breakers” for her work addressing sexual assault, harassment and speaking out against Hollywood film producer Harvey Weinstein. Judd is also a Golden Globe and Emmy-nominated actress, known for her roles in the films such as “Kiss The Girls” and “Double Jeopardy” and was most recently seen starring in the second season of EPIX’s political thriller “Berlin Station.”

“Ashley Judd has provided a voice for the silenced and sparked an important international discussion against sexual abuse. It’s so often that victims, especially children, are too afraid to come forward and speak out against their abuser,” shared Carly Asher Yoost, Child Rescue Coalition founder and CEO. “The truth is, abuse thrives in silence and darkness. We are proud to have such a brave and inspiring guest speaker to help us raise the volume and shine a light on the pandemic issue of child sexual abuse and exploitation.”

Child Rescue Coalition’s “Eat, Drink and Be Giving” gala will take place at the Delray Beach Marriott on Friday, March 9, 2018. The inspirational evening will celebrate law enforcement officers’ successful utilization of Child Rescue Coalition’s CPS Technology. Provided to law enforcement officers around the world at no cost, the advanced tool has tracked over 54 million unique offenders in possession of child pornography and resulted in the prosecution and conviction of more than 9,600 child predators and the rescue of over 2,200 children.

In addition to the inspirational program and awards ceremony, the event will also feature a power-packed live and silent auction. Tickets start at $275.

For more information about Child Rescue Coalition and to purchase tickets to the 2018 gala, visit childrescuecoalition.org.

More about Child Rescue Coalition

Child Rescue Coalition (CRC), a south Florida-based nonprofit organization with global reach, has spent the past decade building the world’s most sophisticated technology to hunt online predators. Through proactive partnerships with law enforcement, the nonprofit’s system has tracked 54 million offenders around the world in order to protect children from sexual exploitation and abuse. With a mission of protecting innocence through technology, the technology developed by CRC has aided in the arrest of more than 9,600 online predators and rescued over 2,200 abused children in the last four years alone.  For more information, visit childrescuecoalition.org  or call (561) 208-9000.