Barry’s Buzz by Barry Epstein – Sept. 30, 2010

Barry’s Buzz by Barry Epstein – Sept. 30, 2010
Palm Beach County Commissioner Steven L. Abrams was recently appointed chairman of the Value Adjustment Board (VAB) which settles disputes between taxpayers and the Property Appraisers office.
The NIMBY factor won out again in Delray Beach where Walmart withdrew an application for a new Walmart which would provide hundreds of needed jobs for residents and tax revenue to the city due to neighborhood opposition.
Dale McCutcheon was named volunteer of the year by the American Cancer Society. The ACS chairman’s gavel was passed from Sheila Gabel to Dr. Juliette The at a reception sponsored by ACS Gala chair Karen Lynne Asher, introducing new ACS board members and officers.
The Business Development Board announced two new expansions in Boca. MDVIP will relocate its 150 employees to 20,000 square feet of corporate space at the Lynn Financial Center. The move to the new location is planned for December 2010. SurgiTrace, LLC will be establishing offices at the Florida Atlantic University Research and Development Park. The company currently employs 4 people but will add 35 new jobs as it creates its emerging company at the Research Park.
Attention women: You are invited to attend an empowering women motivational, inspirational and educational womens luncheon seminar at JM Lexus, Coconut Creek on Friday, Oct. 8 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Womens Wealth and Healthy Women will be presented as a Financial Force in the changing financial landscape, along with a presentation by Dr. Juliette The on the advances of breast cancer detection and care. The lunch is being sponsored by Merrill Lynch and the $10 charge is a direct donation to support the mission of the American Cancer Society Making Strides Against Breast Cancer. To RSVP or for more information, call 888-558-1422.
Governor Charlie Crist and Congressmen Ted Deutch and Ron Klein are scheduled to speak at the West Boca Chamber breakfast sponsored by at Boca Lago Country Club on Tuesday, Oct. 12. Information and costs are on the website. www.westbocachamber.com or call 561.482.9333.
FAU holds the groundbreaking for the new stadium on Friday, Oct. 15 at 4 p.m.
Trapster is a free mobile phone app that alerts drivers to speed traps, enforcement cameras, and other hazards. Users submit speed traps, enforcement cameras, and road hazards, that then alerts all Trapster users in the area - A high-tech version of flashing your headlights to alert drivers of potential road hazards. www.trapster.com, is also on facebook and twitter: twitter.com/trapster, facebook.com/trapster
Boca Raton title attorney James B. Hayes, 57, pleaded guilty to two counts of making false statements on U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development real estate settlement forms admitting to misappropriating more than $2.7 million. According to court documents, he prepared false documents indicating his clients’ loans had been paid off, but instead took the money that was to be used to pay off those loans, along with client funds from his law firm’s trust account. As part of his plea deal, Hayes agreed to make restitution to the title insurance companies and his victims. He also was permanently disbarred and has agreed never to reapply or seek admission as an attorney in any other state. Sentencing is set for Dec. 3. He faces up to five years in prison on each count.
The Morikami Japanese Gardens and Museum has a variety of interesting classes for adults and children. Many of the classes begin in early October. Sessions are for four or eight weeks. Topics for classes include flower arrangement, sumi-e ink painting, Japanese language, tea ceremony and bonsai.
There are also one-day workshops offered throughout the year on taiko, garden photography, sushi and garden design. For more info or to register, visit www.morikami.org or call 495-0233.
Two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning author and historian David McCullough will be the keynoter at Lynn University’s Dively Globalization Lecture Series at 6:30 p.m. on Nov. 17 in the new Keith C. and Elaine Johnson Wold Performing Arts Center. Tickets are $20 and $25 at www.lynn.edu/tickets or by calling 561-237-9000. Previous speakers have included attorney Alan Dershowitz, columnist George F. Will, presidential adviser David Gergen and CNN’s Wolf Blitzer, Anderson Cooper and Soledad O'Brien.
Congratulations to Bill Lewis as Chair of a successful fundraiser for Cystic Fibrosis at Pier 66.
Sincere condolences to the family of former Sheriff Ed Bieluch who passed away last Sunday.
Movies opening this week include The Social Network, Waiting for Superman, Let Me In. Jack Goes Boating and A Woman A Gun and a Noodle Shop.
Barry Epstein, APR, is a noted public relations, marketing and political consultant based in Boca Raton, and is president of the West Boca Chamber of Commerce (www.westbocachamber.com), with a weekly internet television show on www.wrpbitv.com. His website is www.publicrelations.nu and his email is pr@publicrelations.nu. His blog is also on the Sun-Sentinel Jewish Journal site: http://barrys-journal.blogspot.com/. You can friend him on Facebook at www.facebook.com/barryepstein or follow him on Twitter @cme4pr. Fax items for the column to 561.451.0000 or email to: bocaspindoctor@gmail.com.