Barrys Buzz – May 14, 2014

   Real Estate entrepreneur and five time best-selling author Frank McKinney will be the keynote speaker at the third annual Senator Philip D. Lewis noon Luncheon May 14 at the Palm Beach County Convention Center. The super hero-themed luncheon will benefit homeless families and children in Palm Beach County. Tickets are $75. Visit http://www.homelesscoalitionpbc.org/events/annual-be-extraordinary-senator-philip-d-lewis-luncheon/.

 For more information, call 561.355.4764 or email: HomelessCoalitionPBC@gmail.com.

    Former Massachusetts governor and 1988 Democratic Presidential nominee Michael Dukakis will speak at the annual Florida Fishing Academy fundraiser “SOS: Save Our Students” 6 to 8 pm May 15 at City Fish Market 7940 Glades Road, Boca Raton, across from the Florida’s Turnpike entrance. Tickets are $150 and available at www.FloridaFishingAcademy.com.

     An IT Job Career Fair with more than a dozen exhibitors will be held at the PC Professor Computer School, 7056 Beracasa Way, Boca Raton, 11 am to 6 pm, May 15^th.  To R.S.V.P, please contact Erika or Ashley at 561-750-7879 as soon as possible.  Professional attire is expected.

   Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw speaks at the campaign kick-off fundraiser in support of Children’s Services Reauthorization for Palm Beach County, 5:30-7:30 pm May 15 at the West Palm Beach Marriott, 1001 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach, including cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. RSVP to Events@FriendsofChildrensServices.com or call 561.689.9787. Sponsorships needed too. For more information visit www.friendsofChildrensServices.com.

      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.

     The new Waterstone Resort & Marina (formerly The Bridge Hotel), 999 E. Camino Real, Boca Raton, opened quietly after a media preview, following a $10 million renovation, including a new lobby, 270 foot seawall waterfront promenade, revamped pool area and updated guest rooms, all with private balconies and water views. Rates are $127 weeknights, $169 weekends till Labor Day. See www.watersoneboca.com or call 561.368.9500.

   Boca Pointe is in the midst of a $10 million massive renovation at the four corner intersection of Powerline Road and S.W. 18^th. St. along with all the entrances, to include new fountains at each corner and along five lakes, new entrance gates and signage, new landscaping with Bismark Palms on the medians and is scheduled for completion in the spring of 2015.

     Outback Steakhouse in the Boca Greens Shopping Center on 441 has closed. The Outback Steakhouse in the Shops of Village Pointe on S.W. 18th St. in Boca is still open.

   Boca started its red-light camera programs in April 2012. Now, the amount of fines collected has fallen to the point that Boca's share has been reduced to nearly nothing. The State of Florida and American Traffic solutions get cuts of the fines before Boca.

     The JCC Maccabi Games are this summer and need 1,200 people to host athletes, greet hotel visitors, keep score at games, deliver water and ice, serve as doctors and nurses, and perform dozens of other jobs for the 1,000 teens expected for the games Aug. 10 to 15, which will be hosted by the Levis Jewish Community Center west of Boca Raton. The JCC will offer information sessions for potential volunteers at 7 p.m. May 14 and 6 p.m. May 22 at the Sandler Center on the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County campus. Call 561-852-3206 for more information.

     The original Brooklyn Water Bagel Co. opened at 22191 Powerline Road in the former Palms Plaza Hurricane Grill & Wings location and Yoga Aura for Yoga classes opened at 2910B N. Fed. Highway, Boca Raton.

    A sales center for Akoya, by developer Richard Siemens, at Boca West, a 120-unit luxury condominium inside the 3,400 home country club, the first new community inside Boca West in two decades has opened at the Boca West Sports Complex, 20583 Boca West drive, with 10 contracts signed and 10 more on the verge for the $1.25 million to more than $2 million units, which buyers will have access to the country club’s expansive amenities, including four golf courses, 33 tennis courts and a large spa. Construction starts in September. Call 561.362.2719 or visit www.akoyabocawest.com for more info.

    Tri-Rail may add another Boca stop on Military Trail, south of Glades Road and north of Boca Center, two miles from the existing Yamato Road station, the busiest stop with 1,600 daily passengers, whichcould open by 2018 with $8.5 million of federal money from the $18 million project if agencies ok.  

    PB Post reporter Alexander Clough said Boca based Tom Prakas will open a Rhino Doughnuts and Coffee at 126 N.E. 2 St., Boca, after July 4, featuring gourmet doughnuts, and that Prakas is the exclusive broker for Miami Grill, an evolution of the Miami Subs brand, now known as the New Miami Subs Grill.

    The West Boca High School concert bands received top honors at the Florida Bandmasters Association State Band Assessment, the only high school in Palm Beach county with two bands qualified to perform with the Symphonic Band receiving an overall “Excellence’ rating and the Wind Ensemble, the school’s top band, receiving an overall highest possible “Superior” rating, the only Palm Beach County band receiving that top honor distinction.

    Boca based 1^st United Bank has been purchased by New Jersey based Valley National Bancorp for $32 million pending regulatory approvals.

    Boca based Office Depot/Office Max will close 10 of its 38 South Florida Office Depot and 10 Office Max stores from the 150 announced last week.

    Boca based National Enquirer is moving its editorial staff and 30 jobs back to New York City after first moving to Lantana and then Boca. Sister publications Star and Globe will remain in Boca.  

     Tighten security to discourage car break-ins, add adjustable basketball hoops for younger players and build a double gymnasium like Sugar Sand Park were some suggestions by folks at a Palm Beach County Parks and Recreation focus group in the Coconut Park Recreation Center to improve Burt Aaronson South County Regional Park in West Boca.

     After months of considering sites from North County to Boca Raton for another spring training facility in Palm Beach county, and including the county's John Prince Park near Lake Worth, County officials talk with the Houston Astors and Washington Nationals focused exclusively on 160 acres between Haverhill Road and Military Trail in West Palm Beach.

    1^st Southern Bank of Boca Raton reported first quarter earnings of $2 million, double the profits from the fourth quarter. The increase was due to the unexpected gift to Winter Haven based Centerstate bank which closes on its $190 million takeover of 1^st Southern this summer. To pay for the acquisition Centerstate plans to shutter ten 1^st Southern branches and slash its payroll.

    The Florida Bar nailed Boca Raton attorney Jeff Rosenberg, who was suspended 90 days for fraudulent loan modifications.

    Palm Beach county March home prices continued to rise while sales cooled a bit. Median price for an existing single family home hit $265,000, up 6% from a year ago. Condo sales were off 21% for the month, with a median price of $122,000. Local Real Estate pros say it’s still a seller’s market, but things are beginning to level off.

     Wheels from The Heart helps women by giving them cars to go to work. See. www.wheelsfromtheheart.org or email sfmwheels@aol.com. Call 561.445.7444 for more information on how you can help.    

    Watch Movie Talk with Morrie Zryl discussing Godzilla, Chef and more 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.

     Watch Barry Epstein live with Avatar Airlines President & COO Marv Ruthenberg, Senior EVP Michael Zapin; legendary football coach and FAU Ambassador-At-Large Howard Schnellenberger, Steven Sanders Drafting & Design President Steve Sanders and Florida State Senator Maria Sachs on www.wrpbitv.com at 10 pm Thursday and 10 am Friday to win free tickets to the Cinemark theatres and the Wick Theatre. You can be on too to promote your business or profession. Call 561.852.0000 for details. You can also watch the TV shows ON Demand on WRPBITV. Just click on this link: https://vimeo.com/channels/barryepsteinlive.

     Chef, Million Dollar Arm, Belle and Godzilla opens Friday at the Cinemark Palace and Premiere theatres. The Galapagos Affair and The German Doctor opens at the FAU Living Room Theatres and at the Movies of Delray, which also opens Dancing in Jaffa and Fading Gigolo. G-d’s Pocket and The German Doctor opens at Movies of Lake Worth. Fading Gigolo and The Lunchbox opens at the Last Picture show in Tamarac. Belle opens at the Classic Gateway Theatre in Ft. Lauderdale. 

    Family Fun Fridays are at Coconut Cove waterpark, located in Burt Aaronson South County Regional Park, West Boca on May 16, 23 and 30 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Young children and their parents can enjoy splashing in the shallow water, climbing on the play structure, and taking a fun ride down the playground slides. Family Fun Friday admission fees are $3.50 for children 11 and under and $5 for adults (12 & over). Call 561.629.8840 for more info.

    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.     

   Every Sunday at AMF bowling, 1190 Boynton Beach Blvd. and Congress Ave. Brain Bowlers sponsors a bowling league for families and children with disabilities to raise funds and awareness for agencies and children who are void of social interaction.  Cost is only $1.38 per game and families can bowl one or two games.  There is also entertainment and prizes. For further information, call Robert Gottesman at 561-676-2075.
     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.

      Red White and Blue Salute Our Troops-Fundraiser for FSO is 7 pm May 23 at Blue Martini 6000 Glades Rd in Boca Raton (outside Town Center Mall) $10 a person with MC Former SFC William Schedneck - served in Iraq and Afghanistan. For more info, contact Tara Laxer 561-289-6031. 

    The Delray Beach Playhouse at 950 NW 9th St. in Lake Ida Park, off Swinton Ave. Delray Beach presents: Doubt, May 24-June 8, Visit www.delraybeachplayhouse.com or call 561.272.1281 x 4 for more information and reservations.

    The Veterans Coalition of South Florida will present its annual Memorial Day program beginning at 9:30 a.m. on Monday, May 26, at Veteran’s Park, in West Boca on Palmetto Park Road between 441 and Lyons Road.

  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.

     Cirque Dreams Jungle Fantasy is at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, 201 SW Fifth Avenue, Fort Lauderdale July 22-27. Call 954.462.0222 or visit www.browardcenter.org for tickets or more information.

     The National Walk to End Alzheimer’s will be in Boca Raton for the first time on Oct. 11 at the Mizner Park Amphitheater. The kickoff for the Alzheimer’s Association fundraiser is 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., Thursday, May 29 at JAZZIZ Nightlife, 201 Plaza Real in Mizner Park. The event will include cocktails and appetizers, a silent auction, photo booth and a deejay. Tickets are $25 per person in advance or $30 at the door at http://goo.gl/wq17A5. Registration for the walk is free at www.alz.org/walk. Volunteers are also needed. Contact Pamela Polani at polani@bellsouth.net or call 561-496-4222.

      The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) walk for mental health is 8 am. Nov. 8, at Tradewinds Park, 3600 W. Sample Road, Coconut Creek. Register at namibroward@gmail.com. For more information, call 954.316.9907 or visit www.namibroward.org.

    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.

     Thanks to David Weir’s South Florida Business Report for contributing to the column.

     Barry Epstein, APR, is a noted public relations, marketing and political consultant based in Boca Raton, president of the www.goldcoasttigerbayclub.com, the www.luxurychamber.com, the www.westbocaleaders.com and the founder and former president of the West Boca Chamber of Commerce; with a weekly internet television show on www.wrpbitv.com and www.publicrelations.nu. His motto is: Public Relations is the enemy of anonymity. email: pr@publicrelations.nu, or fax column items to 561.451.0000.  His blog is on www.bocatribune.com, www.facebook.com/BarryEpstein as well as on the Sun-Sentinel/Jewish Journal website at www.floridajewishjournal.com – www.http://barrys-journal.blogspot.com  and on his website: www.publicrelations.nu.