Barry's Buzz - August 16, 2012

The Luxury Chamber of Commerce features a monthly wine and cheese mixer, hosted by owner Bob Luptak at Steinway Piano Gallery, 7940 N. Federal Highway, #100, Boca Raton, on August 20 from 6 p.m to 8 p.m. with a special guest speaker, Stanley Tate, former Chair and President of the Resolution Trust Corporation and the founder of the Florida Pre-paid Scholarship Program, along with noted pianist Norm Kubrin and vocalist Lisa Remick, performing Jazz standards and the Great American Songbook, appearing every Wednesday at 264 The Grill in Palm Beach. Info and reservations at http://pianistsociety.eventbrite.com/. Marine Chamber of Commerce inaugural network is Tuesday, Aug. 21, 6 to 8 p.m. at Oceans 234, 234 N. Ocean Blvd. Deerfield Beach. Reservations at http://boatingevent.eventbrite.com or email info@marinechamber.com. CBS’ Face the Nation host Bob Schieffer will moderate the final presidential debate at Lynn University on Oct. 20. N.J. Gov. Christie will be the keynote speaker at the RNC convention in Tampa. Sen. Marco Rubio will introduce Romney on the last night. Former U.S. Senator and Florida Governor Bob Graham speaks on 9/11 and what he knew about 9/11 at the Broward Museum of Art in Ft. Lauderdale. Congrats to all the winners in the Primary Election Tuesday. Now on to the General Election in November. Boca’s Palm Beach County Commissioner Steve Abrams is expected to be named Chairman in November. Palm Beach County commissioners unanimously approved a plan to swap the 1,919-acre Mecca Farms for $30 million and about 1,500 acres owned by the South Florida Water Management District. Leisure and hospitality jobs remain down in Palm Beach County, despite increases in tourists, bed tax collections and hotel occupancy rates. Immigrants make up 19.4 percent of the population in Florida, but own 29.7 percent of all business in the state. Comedian Kevin James purchased a 28,834 sq. ft. house at 502 N. Ocean Blvd., across from the ocean in Delray Beach for $18.5 million (last sold for $4.9 million in June 2005) with 10 bedrooms, 8 baths and 4 half baths on 1.8 acres. The average closing costs on a home sale is $4,365 and the average doc stamp cost at home sale closing is $1,400. July marked the fourth straight month in declining South Florida personal bankruptcies, with over 2100 filings for the month, a decline of 18% of a year ago. Palm Beach County recorded 370 filings for the month, off 15% over a year ago. Bankruptcy lawyers say filings usually follow foreclosures, but homeowners are currently delaying filing in hopes of a short sale or a loan modification. After being deep sixed by the recession for the past five years, boat sales have finally hit smooth sailing. Florida new boat registrations total nearly 16,000 for the year, ending in June, up a healthy 8% over the previous year. Over 8,000 of those sales came from South Florida which saw its best sales growth in boats longer than 40 ft. and outboard powered fishing boats. Palm Beach County has over 43,000 registered boats. A Shayna Maidel starts Aug. 24 to Sept. 16. Paulette Dozier as Billie Holiday in Lady Day plays through Aug. 26 at the Stage Door Theatre on Sample Road in Coral Springs. Call 954.344.7765 for ticket information or visit www.stagedoorfl.org. Movie Talk with Morrie Zryl airs tonight at 6 p.m. on www.wrpbitv.com. Barry Epstein Live internet television show airs Friday at 10 a.m. on www.wrpbitv.com featuring Gray Mockingbird Community Garden organizer Brian Kirsch, Movie Maven Morrie Zryl and Sun-Sentinel columnist Kingsley Guy. Watch to win tickets to the Cinemark, Gateway and Last Picture Show Theatres. Movies opening Friday at the Cinemark Theatre are The Odd Life of Timothy Green (opened yesterday and also at the Movies of Delray), The Expendables 2, Sparkle and Paranorman. FAU’s College of Business hosts its weekly Executive Forum lecture series from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Office Depot Grand Lecture Hall, Room 101, starting Aug. 30. Register at http://business.fau.edu/centers/adams-center/entrepreneurship-education/executive-forum-speaker-series/index.aspx#.UClnglaPWAR, or call 561.297.0927. Downtown Boca hosts “Boca and Brazil Meet to Celebrate the Brazilian Beat’, for Brazil’s Independence Day Sept. 7. On Friday, August 31, the Sunset Cove Amphitheater will host a live concert featuring Sublime with Rome with special guests Cypress Hill, Pepper, and the Dirty Heads. The Boca Museum of Art hosts a free networking, panel discussion on how to start or grow an art collection and tour on Sept. 5 starting at 4 p.m. Reservations are required. RSVP to abanaszak@bocamuseum.org. The Boca Raton Theatre Guild’s 2012-2013 season will begin with a comedy, and end with a classic. A.R. Gurneys Sylvia, and Kander & Ebbs Chicago will run in September and March at the Willow Theatre in Sugar Sand Park, 300 South Military Trail, Boca Raton. Tickets are on sale at the Willow Theatre Box office: 561-347-3948. Soroptimists of Boca is seeking sponsors for the 39th annual “Women of Distinction” awards breakfast on Oct. 3 at Boca West Country Club. Contact kim@championhome.ocm or call 561.347.0440. Deadline is Sept. 21 for all ads. "Henrietta, Countess de Hoernle 100th Birthday Gala: Our Legend, Her Legacy" will be honored on her birthday, Sept. 24, at Boca West Country Club. The event presenter is The Order of St. John of Jerusalem, Knights Hospitaller. Honorary chairpersons are Christine Lynn and Barbara and Dick Schmidt. Gala chairwoman and vice chairwoman are Commander Isabel K. Paul and Dame Alyce E. Erickson. The sixth annual Theatre Arts Guild Ice Cream Social is being held on Sunday, Sept. 30 at the Broken Sound Country Club with a Jersey Boys tribute by the Atlantic City Boys, including some of the former members of the Jersey Boys. Go to http://give.lynn.edu/TheatreArts for details. Boca-based Bluegreen Corp. is putting on "Two to Tango," the gala to benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation that will move to the Boca Raton Marriott on Oct. 5. Hollywood celebrity couple Giuliana and Bill Rancic will be the keynote speakers at Boca Raton Regional Hospital Foundation’s 9th Annual Go Pink Luncheon Friday, October 26, 2012 from 11am to 1:30 pm at the Boca Raton Resort & Club. The second Meet Me on the Promenade downtown street festival is Oct. 26 and 27 with a Halloween theme. www.WestBocaLeaders.com has openings in some categories. Call 561.852.0000 for further information. You can have your own internet television show very inexpensively or sponsor mine. Contact wrpbitv@yahoo.com. Birch Communications is a multi-million dollar company with an exclusive wholesale agreement with AT&T. If you would like to save money on your AT&T land phones without changing your numbers, call 561.852.0000. For Al-Anon-meetings in South Palm Beach County, go to www.southpalmbeachafg.org/meeting_list.html Sincere condolences to Palm Beach County Clerk and Comptroller Sharon Bock on the loss of her father and current State Rep. Steve Perman on the loss of his father. Barry Epstein, APR, is a noted public relations, marketing and political consultant based in Boca Raton, president of the Luxury Chamber of Commerce (www.luxurychamber.com), the West Boca Leaders networking group and the founder and former president of the West Boca Chamber of Commerce; with a weekly internet television show on www.wrpbitv.com. Website; www.publicrelations.nu; email: pr@publicrelations.nu, or fax column items to 561.451.0000. His blog is on the Sun-Sentinel/Jewish Journal website at www.floridajewishjournal.com - http://barrys-journal.blogspot.com

Barrys Buzz Aug. 9, 2012

The Luxury Chamber of Commerce features a monthly wine and cheese mixer, hosted by owner Bob Luptak at Steinway Piano Gallery, 7940 N. Federal Highway, #100, Boca Raton, on August 20 from 6 p.m to 8 p.m. with a special guest speaker, Stanley Tate, former Chair and President of the Resolution Trust Corporation and the founder of the Florida Pre-paid Scholarship Program, along with noted pianist Norm Kubrin and vocalist Lisa Remick, performing Jazz standards and the Great American Songbook, appearing every Wednesday at 264 The Grill in Palm Beach. Info and reservations at http://pianistsociety.eventbrite.com/. Boca Raton was named the second best place (just behind Boulder, Colo.) in the U.S. to start a business by Bloomberg Businessweek, calling it “silicon beach” for entrepreneurs to build the next Apple of Google. Jazziz Nightlife, a jazz restaurant and club will open in the former ZED 451 space at the south end of Mizner Park. The Republican Jewish Coalition will be taping former Obama supporters in Boca this afternoon for television commercials which will air throughout Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania. The RJC will have 500 volunteers canvassing Jewish neighborhoods and making calls Sept. 9 and 10 and plans over $6 million in tv spots in Palm Beach and Broward counties. Gallup reports that 9 percent of 2008 Obama voters have switched and now support Romney, while only 5 percent of McCain voters support President Obama. More than half of Florida voters age 50-64 fear they will never be able to retire. Former Dem House Speaker Tom Gustafson was tapped to run against Republican Bill Hager for the District 89 seat. Early voting is available through Saturday. As they say in Chicago, “Vote early and vote often”. Boca’s Palm Beach County Commissioner Steve Abrams was tapped to be Chairman of the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority which operates Tri-Rail. The “commuting commissioner” regularly uses Tri-Rail to West Palm Beach. Federal Highway is being repaved in Boca from SE 5th St. to north of Glades Road. FAU broke ground on a new 7 story $46 million dorm in time for next August, with 400 single and 200 double rooms. Incapital added 40 jobs in Boca and plans to add dozens more to the bond focused brokerage firm. Boca Raton based Office depot reported a loss of $64 million in the second quarter and revenue fell 7%, while shrinking stores to compete with online shopping, reducing store size to 5,000 sq. ft. in 41 stores from 15,000-17,000 sq. ft. Apple Ten Hospitality Ownership bought the Hilton Garden inn on Congress and I-95 in Boca for $10.9 million. The 73-year-old Camino Real bridge is in such poor condition that the failure of one major part could collapse it. Microsoft is changing the name of its Hotmail email service to Outlook. Home values in Palm Beach County rose 6% in the second quarter with median prices hitting $145,000. Sales are up but Palm Beach County has the second highest vacant homes in the state. Florida Power & Light racked up $353 million in profits for the second quarter, up 17% over the same period last year and made $386 million in profits for the first quarter, putting them on track for a profit of over $1 billion for the year. FPL operates as a monopoly in Florida and posted over $2 billion in profits in the past year. FP&L acquired 27,000 new customers from a year ago and will make over $3 billion in profits from 2010-2012. State owned and insurer of last resort Citizens property insurance bumped its rates an average 10% which will add $250 million to its coffers. State law confines rate increases to 10% annually but Citizens gets around it by reducing coverage, ending discounts, adding premiums and raising deductibles for the 337,000 Palm Beach and Broward accounts. Divorce Party The Musical continues at the Kravis Center through August 19. Tickets at www.kravis.org. Don’t miss the true story of an Immigrant coming to Texas. The Immigrant at the Stage Door Theatre, 8036 W. Sample Road, Coral Springs has been extended by popular demand to August 12. Paulette Dozier as Billie Holiday in Lady Day plays through Aug. 26. A Shayna Maidel starts Aug. 24. Call 954.344.7765 for ticket information or visit www.stagedoorfl.org. Soroptimists of Boca is seeking sponsors for the 39th annual “Women of Distinction” awards breakfast on Oct. 3 at Boca West Country Club. Contact kim@championhome.ocm or call 561.347.0440. Deadline is Sept. 21 for all ads. Movie Talk with Morrie Zryl airs tonight at 6 p.m. on www.wrpbitv.com with guests Randall Crosby and Barry Epstein. Barry Epstein Live internet television show airs Friday at 10 a.m. on www.wrpbitv.com featuring Palm Beach County Tax Collector Anne Gannon, movie maven Morrie Zryl and Sun-Sentinel columnist Kingsley Guy. Movies opening at the Cinemark Theatre are Hope Springs (opened Wednesday), The Bourne Legacy, Ruby Sparks and the Campaign. Opening at the Movies of Delray is Hope Springs (opened Wednesday). The new Spanish River Blvd. park, across from the library will open on Aug. 11, with police directing traffic. The Peter Blum Family YMCA in Boca Raton hosts a free swim clinic with two Olympic swimmers, Maritza Correia (the first African American to break a world record in swimming) and Gil Stovall (who competed at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China) from 1 to 4 p.m. on August 11. Highlights include learning the Olympians favorite swim drills, a Q&A session with photos wearing a real Olympic medal and much more. Register at www.fitterandfaster.com/detail/boca-raton-fl/. On Friday, August 31, the Sunset Cove Amphitheater will host a live concert featuring Sublime with Rome with special guests Cypress Hill, Pepper, and the Dirty Heads. www.WestBocaLeaders.com has openings in some categories. Call 561.852.0000 for further information. You can have your own internet television show very inexpensively or sponsor my show. Contact Wayne at wrpbitv@yahoo.com. Birch Communications is a multi-million dollar company with an exclusive wholesale agreement with AT&T. If you would like to save money on your AT&T land phones without changing your numbers, call 561.852.0000. For Al-Anon-meetings in South Palm Beach County, go to www.southpalmbeachafg.org/meeting_list.html Barry Epstein, APR, is a noted public relations, marketing and political consultant based in Boca Raton, president of the Luxury Chamber of Commerce (www.luxurychamber.com), the West Boca Leaders networking group and the founder and former president of the West Boca Chamber of Commerce; with a weekly internet television show on www.wrpbitv.com. Website; www.publicrelations.nu; email: pr@publicrelations.nu, or fax column items to 561.451.0000. His blog is on the Sun-Sentinel/Jewish Journal website at www.floridajewishjournal.com - http://barrys-journal.blogspot.com.

Barry;s Buzz Aug. 2, 2012

Florida Atlantic University released a report that shows its estimated economic impact tops $6.3 billion annually in its six-county service region. FAU contributed $2.5 billion to direct spending in Florida for the 2010-11 fiscal year, its activities are responsible for more than 60,450 in-state jobs and FAU’s presence in the state generates a $4.1 billion increase in Florida’s gross domestic product and a $6.3 billion increase in gross sales. FAU has more than 29,000 undergraduate students in six counties throughout southeast Florida. The temple and Jewish school at Chabad of Boca Raton were saved from foreclosure by a mysterious company that bought its loan from Wells Fargo. Boca attorney Scott A. Frank declined to identify the savior. Mitchell Rubenstein and Laurie Silvers, husband and wife owners of Boca Raton based Hollywood Media Corp. have sold two vacant residential lots in Palm Beach for almost $24 million. Bob Langford, executive director of the Greater Boca Raton Beach & Park District for 20 years, retires in September. Regulators approved the sale of Fort Lauderdale-based BankAtlantic to BB&T. The Final Presidential Debate at Lynn University on Oct. 20 will focus on Foreign Policy. The Republican National Committee will be in Boca next week taping former ’08 Obama supporters who are not supporting him in ’12. Congressional candidate Adam Hasner is an honorary chair of the Jewish Americans for Mitt Romney. The adorable Peter Pan opened last night at the Kravis Center through Sunday. Get tickets at www.kravis.org.or call 561.832.7469. Divorce Party The Musical continues at the Kravis Center through August 19. Tickets at www.kravis.org. Don’t miss the true story of an Immigrant coming to Texas. The Immigrant at the Stage Door Theatre, 8036 W. Sample Road, Coral Springs has been extended by popular demand to August 12. Paulette Dozier as Billie Holiday in Lady Day plays through Aug. 26. Call 954.344.7765 for ticket information or visit www.stagedoorfl.org. Soroptimists of Boca is seeking sponsors for the 39th annual “Women of Distinction” awards breakfast on Oct. 3 at Boca West Country Club. Contact kim@championhome.ocm or call 561.347.0440. Deadline is Sept. 21 for all ads. Barry Epstein Live internet television show airs Friday at 10 a.m. on www.wrpbitv.com featuring Ultimate Diver Challenge Producer Pam Bertrand, State Attorney candidate Dina Keever and Sun-Sentinel columnist Kingsley Guy. Movies opening at the Cinemark Theatre are Total Recall and Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days, The Queen of Versailles and Farewell, My Queen. Yes is playing tomorrow evening at the Mizner Park Amphitheatre with Procol Harum as the opening act. Tickets are $55 -$95 and can be purchased at the tent outside the venue from 1 p.m. on to avoid Ticketmaster fees. The final fee concert is 8 p.m. on Aug. 10 with The Fabulons oldies band. The YMCA of South Palm Beach County is celebrating their 40th birthday with a free community Back-to-School Bash from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, August 4 at both the Boca Raton and Boynton Beach locations. See www.ymcaspc.org. Rod Stewart and Stevie Nicks are at the BankAtlantic Center Aug. 4. Go to www.bankatlanticcenter.com for info. The Peter Blum Family YMCA in Boca Raton hosts a free swim clinic with two Olympic swimmers, Maritza Correia (the first African American to break a world record in swimming) and Gil Stovall (who competed at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China) from 1 to 4 p.m. on August 11. Highlights include learning the Olympians favorite swim drills, a Q&A session with photos wearing a real Olympic medal and much more. Register at www.fitterandfaster.com/detail/boca-raton-fl/. The Luxury Chamber of Commerce features a monthly wine and Cheese mixer at Steinway Piano Gallery, 7940 N. Federal Highway, #100,, Boca Raton, on August 20 from 6 p.m to 8 p.m. with a special guest speaker. Details and reservations at http://pianistsociety.eventbrite.com/. On Friday, August 31, the Sunset Cove Amphitheater will host a live concert featuring Sublime with Rome with special guests Cypress Hill, Pepper, and the Dirty Heads. The Boca Raton Theatre Guild’s 2012-2013 season will begin with a comedy, and end with a classic. A.R. Gurneys Sylvia, and Kander & Ebbs Chicago will run in September and March at the Willow Theatre in Sugar Sand Park, located at 300 South Military Trail in Boca Raton, just south of Palmetto Park Road. Tickets for Sylvia will go on sale on August 1st, and can be purchased at the Willow Theatre Box office: 561-347-3948. "Henrietta, Countess de Hoernle 100th Birthday Gala: Our Legend, Her Legacy" will be honored on her birthday, Sept. 24, at Boca West Country Club. The event presenter is The Order of St. John of Jerusalem, Knights Hospitaller. Honorary chairpersons are Christine Lynn and Barbara and Dick Schmidt. Gala chairwoman and vice chairwoman are Commander Isabel K. Paul and Dame Alyce E. Erickson, respectively. The sixth annual Theatre Arts Guild Ice Cream Social is being held on Sunday, Sept. 30 at the Broken Sound Country Club with a Jersey Boys tribute by the Atlantic City Boys, including some of the former members of the Jersey Boys. Go to http://give.lynn.edu/TheatreArts for details. Hollywood celebrity couple Giuliana and Bill Rancic will be the keynote speakers at Boca Raton Regional Hospital Foundation’s 9th Annual Go Pink Luncheon Friday, October 26, 2012 from 11am to 1:30 pm at the Boca Raton Resort & Club. The second Meet Me on the Promenade downtown street festival is Oct. 26 and 27 with a Halloween theme. www.WestBocaLeaders.com has openings in some categories. Call 561.852.0000 for further information. You can have your own internet television show very inexpensively. Contact Wayne at wrpbitv@yahoo.com. Birch Communications is a multi-million dollar company with an exclusive wholesale agreement with AT&T. If you would like to save money on your AT&T land phones without changing your numbers, call 561.852.0000. For Al-Anon-meetings in South Palm Beach County, go to www.southpalmbeachafg.org/meeting_list.html Barry Epstein, APR, is a noted public relations, marketing and political consultant based in Boca Raton, president of the Luxury Chamber of Commerce (www.luxurychamber.com), the West Boca Leaders networking group and the founder and former president of the West Boca Chamber of Commerce; with a weekly internet television show on www.wrpbitv.com. Website; www.publicrelations.nu; email: pr@publicrelations.nu, or fax column items to 561.451.0000. His blog is on the Sun-Sentinel/Jewish Journal website at www.floridajewishjournal.com - http://barrys-journal.blogspot.com.

Barry's Buzz - July 26, 2012

Dr. Larry Kawa hosts Rudy Giuliani at his home tomorrow for a fundraising dinner for Mitt Romney. Email drkawa@braces1 for details. There were 11,359 foreclosures filed in Palm Beach County from January to June, 1,439 in June and there are 39,000 pending. If you have foreclosure issues, go to www.finestofsouthflorida.com and call 561.945.0000 for the help you need. Since 1952, there have been 15 presidential elections in which Democrats have won Florida only four times. Palm Beach County NPA’s are poised to overtake Republicans. The current registration is Democrat: 374,068 (44.5%), Republican: 243,345 (28.9%), NPA (No Party Affiliation) 223,765 (26.7%). The American Association of Caregiving youth founder Connie Siskowski, will be deservedly honored this morning during the Fearless Caregiver Conference at the Boca Raton Embassy Suites Hotel for her efforts throughout the years. ADT Security will base its world headquarters in Boca and beefing up employee levels significantly. Marilyn Swillinger has been named president of the Lynn University’s Friends of the Conservatory of Music. Larry Leon was named new Chief of Police for the Palm Beach County School District as of July 30, replacing retiring Chief Jim Kelly. GetMed Urgent Care, a new walk-in medical center will open in the Fountains Center, 7600 W. Camino Real in October, with a full-time physician on duty offering a host of medical services, including flu shots, physicals, EKGs, X-rays and minor surgical procedures. Divorce Party The Musical continues at the Kravis Center through August 19. Tickets at www.kravis.org. Don’t miss the true story of an Immigrant coming to Texas. The Immigrant at the Stage Door Theatre, 8036 W. Sample Road, Coral Springs has been extended by popular demand to August 12. Paulette Dozier as Billie Holiday in Lady Day plays through Aug. 26. Call 954.344.7765 for ticket information or visit www.stagedoorfl.org. Barry Epstein Live internet television show airs Friday at 10 a.m. on www.wrpbitv.com featuring “Love Life” mantra Steve Fugate (www.trailtherapy.com), Philanthropist Stanley Tate, Palm Beach County Commission candidate Mary Lou Berger, Movie Maven Morrie Zryl and Sun-Sentinel columnist Kingsley Guy. Win free tickets to the Cinemark theatres. Movies opening at the Cinemark Theatre are The Watch and Step Up Revolution. Movie opening at the Movies of Delray is Headhunters. Axl and Oliver Vinograd, varsity golf brothers at Spanish River High School will host their first annual Kids Cancer Foundation Golf Tournament Fundraiser on July 29 at Boca Greens Country Club. Scramble shotgun start is 1 p.m. followed by a reception and raffle ceremony at 6 p.m. Email axlboca10@hotmail.com or call 561.350.9519 for more info. The YMCA of South Palm Beach County is celebrating their 40th birthday with a free community Back-to-School Bash from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, August 4 at both the Boca Raton and Boynton Beach locations. See www.ymcaspc.org. The Peter Blum Family YMCA in Boca Raton hosts a free swim clinic with two Olympic swimmers, Maritza Correia (the first African American to break a world record in swimming) and Gil Stovall (who competed at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China) from 1 to 4 p.m. on August 11. Highlights include learning the Olympians favorite swim drills, a Q&A session with photos wearing a real Olympic medal and much more. Register at www.fitterandfaster.com/detail/boca-raton-fl/. The Luxury Chamber of Commerce features a monthly wine and Cheese mixer at Steinway Piano Gallery, 7940 N. Federal Highway, #100,, Boca Raton, on August 20 from 6 p.m to 8 p.m. with a special guest speaker. Details and reservations at http://pianistsociety.eventbrite.com/. On Friday, August 31, the Sunset Cove Amphitheater will host a live concert featuring Sublime with Rome with special guests Cypress Hill, Pepper, and the Dirty Heads. The Boca Raton Theatre Guild’s 2012-2013 season will begin with a comedy, and end with a classic. A.R. Gurneys Sylvia, and Kander & Ebbs Chicago will run in September and March at the Willow Theatre in Sugar Sand Park, located at 300 South Military Trail in Boca Raton, just south of Palmetto Park Road. Tickets for Sylvia will go on sale on August 1st, and can be purchased at the Willow Theatre Box office: 561-347-3948. "Henrietta, Countess de Hoernle 100th Birthday Gala: Our Legend, Her Legacy" will be honored on her birthday, Sept. 24, at Boca West Country Club. The event presenter is The Order of St. John of Jerusalem, Knights Hospitaller. Honorary chairpersons are Christine Lynn and Barbara and Dick Schmidt. Gala chairwoman and vice chairwoman are Commander Isabel K. Paul and Dame Alyce E. Erickson, respectively. Hollywood celebrity couple Giuliana and Bill Rancic will be the keynote speakers at Boca Raton Regional Hospital Foundation’s 9th Annual Go Pink Luncheon Friday, October 26, 2012 from 11am to 1:30 pm at the Boca Raton Resort & Club. The second Meet Me on the Promenade downtown street festival is Oct. 26 and 27 with a Halloween theme. www.WestBocaLeaders.com has openings in some categories. Call 561.852.0000 for further information. You can have your own internet television show very inexpensively. Contact Wayne at wrpbitv@yahoo.com. Birch Communications is a multi-million dollar company with an exclusive wholesale agreement with AT&T. If you would like to save money on your AT&T land phones without changing your numbers, call 561.852.0000. For Al-Anon-meetings in South Palm Beach County, go to www.southpalmbeachafg.org/meeting_list.html Finally, all our thoughts and prayers go out to the families and friends who lost loved ones in the tragic shooting in Colorado last Friday morning. But why would parents take young babies and children to a violent movie at midnight or any other time for that matter? Barry Epstein, APR, is a noted public relations, marketing and political consultant based in Boca Raton, president of the Luxury Chamber of Commerce (www.luxurychamber.com), the West Boca Leaders networking group and the founder and former president of the West Boca Chamber of Commerce; with a weekly internet television show on www.wrpbitv.com. Website; www.publicrelations.nu; email: pr@publicrelations.nu, or fax column items to 561.451.0000. His blog is on the Sun-Sentinel/Jewish Journal website at www.floridajewishjournal.com - http://barrys-journal.blogspot.com.

Barry's Buzz - July 19, 2012

Former Ft. Lauderdale and Broward County manager Floyd Johnson is the new Port Arthur, Texas City Manager. Darden Restaurants (Red Lobster, Olive Garden, Longhorn steakhouse) is paying $585 million for the 39 restaurant Yard House USA chain (Yard House, Capital Grille and Seasons 52) all with locations in Mizner Park Ashley Walukevich is the new Boca field rep for the Romney campaign. Headquarters opens on July 28 at the 5th Avenue Shops on Federal Highway. A West Boca office opens Friday July 27 in the Greens Shopping center on 441. President Obama will be in Palm Beach County today, staying over in Manalapan. Vice President Biden will be in Manalapan on Monday to address the National Association of Police Officials at the Ritz-Carlton. The bipartisan firm Purple Strategies recent poll gives Romney a 48-45 edge in Florida within a 4 point margin error. FAU is moving all Dania Sea Tech classes to the Boca Raton campus. Funding ends on Dec. 31 for the institute. The Tribune newspapers, including the Sun-Sentinel, are now owned by JPMorganChase; Oaktree Capital Management, and Angelo, Gordon & Co. American Sugar Refining Inc., which claims to be the world's largest sugar refiner, plans to bring its scientists to a new office in the Florida Atlantic University Research and Development Park next spring. The city is providing a $10,000 incentive to make it happen. The move will bring 10 new jobs to the city that pay at least $88,000 a year. Boca criminal defense attorney William Matthewman has been named a federal magistrate in West Palm Beach. A dozen Lynn University sports management students will take “The Olympic Games Experience” in London.The Olympics start July 27 in London. W Rand McNally and USA Today think Delray Beach is a pretty good place to hang out. They've named it "The Most Fun Town in America." 650 towns competed in the contest. Delray will be featured in USA Today and profiled in the 2013 Rand McNally Road Atlas. City Manager David Harden announced that after 22 years he would retire at the end of the year. Southwest Airlines will discontinue service from Ft. Lauderdale/Hollywood to Orlando International Airport in January. Eagles Landing Middle School Principal Cindy Chiapetta was named Principal of the Year by the Florida PTA. Mindy Haas of Boca Raton was voted in as the new president-elect of the Florida PTA. Divorce Party The Musical continues at the Kravis Center through August 19. Tickets at www.kravis.org. Barry Epstein Live internet television show airs Friday at 10 a.m. on www.wrpbitv.com featuring Simone Hoover, president of Operation HomeFront, Melinda Rosenthal of www.MinivanMadness.com and Sun-Sentinel columnist Kingsley Guy. Watch to win free tickets to the Cinemark theatres. Movies opening at the Cinemark and Movies of Delray and Lake Worth are the stupendous epic Four Star Oscar winner Dark Knight, which also opens in IMAX at the Museum of Discovery and Science tomorrow and Beasts of the Southern Wild. Moonrise Kingdom opens at Movies of Lake Worth and the opera, Vespri Siciliani from Torino shows at Movies of Delray Saturday at noon. Don’t miss the true story of an Immigrant coming to Texas. The Immigrant at the Stage Door Theatre, 8036 W. Sample Road, Coral Springs has been extended by popular demand to August 12. Paulette Dozier as Billie Holiday in Lady Day starts tomorrow through Aug. 26. Call 954.344.7765 for ticket information or visit www.stagedoorfl.org. The Levis JCC hosts the second annual “Run, Sweat & Beers “ benefit 5k run/walk today at 7 p.m. in the South County Regional Park, West Boca. Fee is $30. Register at www.levisjcc.org/5k. The first 400 registered runners get a shirt. Axl and Oliver Vinograd, varsity golf brothers at Spanish River High School will host their first annual Kids Cancer Foundation Golf Tournament Fundraiser on July 29 at Boca Greens Country Club. Scramble shotgun start is 1 p.m. followed by a reception and raffle ceremony at 6 p.m. Email axlboca10@hotmail.com or call 561.350.9519 for more info. On Friday, August 31, the Sunset Cove Amphitheater will host a live concert featuring Sublime with Rome with special guests Cypress Hill, Pepper, and the Dirty Heads. The Boca Raton Theatre Guild’s 2012-2013 season will begin with a comedy, and end with a classic. A.R. Gurneys Sylvia, and Kander & Ebbs Chicago will run in September and March at the Willow Theatre in Sugar Sand Park, located at 300 South Military Trail in Boca Raton, just south of Palmetto Park Road. Tickets for Sylvia will go on sale on August 1st, and can be purchased at the Willow Theatre Box office: 561-347-3948. Save the date: "Henrietta, Countess de Hoernle 100th Birthday Gala: Our Legend, Her Legacy" will take place on her birthday, Sept. 24, at Boca West Country Club. The event presenter is The Order of St. John of Jerusalem, Knights Hospitaller. Honorary chairpersons are Christine Lynn and Barbara and Dick Schmidt. Gala chairwoman and vice chairwoman are Commander Isabel K. Paul and Dame Alyce E. Erickson, respectively. Hollywood celebrity couple Giuliana and Bill Rancic will be the keynote speakers at Boca Raton Regional Hospital Foundation’s 9th Annual Go Pink Luncheon Friday, October 26, 2012 from 11am to 1:30 pm at the Boca Raton Resort & Club. The second Meet Me on the Promenade downtown street festival is Oct. 26 and 27 with a Halloween theme. www.WestBocaLeaders.com has openings in some categories. Call 561.852.0000 for further information. If you have foreclosure issues, go to www.finestofsouthflorida.com and call 561.945.0000 for the help you need. You can have your own internet television show very inexpensively. Contact Wayne at wrpbitv@yahoo.com. Birch Communications is a multi-million dollar company with an exclusive wholesale agreement with AT&T. If you would like to save money on your AT&T land phones without changing your numbers, call 561.852.0000. For Al-Anon-meetings in South Palm Beach County, go to www.southpalmbeachafg.org/meeting_list.html Barry Epstein, APR, is a noted public relations, marketing and political consultant based in Boca Raton, president of the Luxury Chamber of Commerce (www.luxurychamber.com), the West Boca Leaders networking group and the founder and former president of the West Boca Chamber of Commerce; with a weekly internet television show on www.wrpbitv.com. Website; www.publicrelations.nu; email: pr@publicrelations.nu, or fax column items to 561.451.0000. His blog is on the Sun-Sentinel/Jewish Journal website at www.floridajewishjournal.com - http://barrys-journal.blogspot.com.

Barrys Buzz July 12, 2012

Delray businessman and former political candidate Nick Loeb got engaged Tuesday to Sofia Vergara. Sun-Sentinel Executive Editor Antonio FIns, will resign to be Executive Director of the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation. Ellyn Okrent was appointed Executive Director of the Florence Fuller Child Development Centers. If you are going to the Broward Center for the Performing Arts or Discovery Center, be sure to try the Old Fort Lauderdale Breakfast House, just east of the MODS for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Amazing food with reasonable prices. Check out the menu at www.o-bhouse.com or call 954.530.7520. Philippe by Philippe Chow Restaurant on Palmetto Park Road has closed, after less than a full year of operations. Operation Homefront-Florida needs volunteers to pickup donated school supplies from area Dollar Tree stores that will be distributed to military children in late July and early August. Dollar Tree locations through out the area are collecting donations from generous customers at the cashier check out station. The collection period will runs to August 6, 2012. Volunteers will designate which location(s) they would like to pickup donations from. To register, visit www.backtoschoolbrigade.net. Donations will be used to fill backpacks for military children as part of Operation Homefront’s Back to School Brigade. The Brigade provides military children the opportunity to start school with all the supplies they need to be successful. Operation Homefront delivered over $2.5 million in school supplies to military children. Remember Castro convertibles? They are now back. Go to www.castroconvertiblesusa.com to order. Wayne Barton Study Center is collecting back to school supplies. Info at www.waynebartonstudycenter.org. Barry Epstein Live internet television show airs Friday at 10 a.m. on www.wrpbitv.com featuring Kathryn Dressler, Social Media, Communications and Promotions Coordinator for the Museum of Discovery and Science along with traveling Zoo Keeper Sandy Mangold with a live Gecko, former State Senator and State Attorney candidate Dave Aronberg and Sun-Sentinel columnist Kingsley Guy. Watch to win free tickets to the Cinemark theatres to see Ice Age, which is the only movie opening at the Cinemark Theatres on Friday or any other movie you choose. The Immigrant and Backwards in High Heels are at the Stage Door Theatre 8036 W. Sample Road, Coral Springs Don’t miss the true story of an Immigrant coming to Texas. Call 954.344.7765 for ticket information. Jesus Christ Superstar will be at the Count de Hoernle theatre, 7901 N. Fed. Hwy. Boca through July 15. Go to http://www.entractetheatrix.org/ for ticket prices, reservations and further information or call 561.366.9033. Cabaret Verboten is at the Arts Garage, 180 NE 1st Street through July 29. Tickets are $20 to $35. Call 561.450.6357 or visit www.artsgarage.org. Aladdin and His Magic Lamp is at the Willow Theatre in Sugar Sand Park Community Center, 300 S. Military Trail, Friday July 13-Sunday July 15. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children 12 and under. Call 561.347.3948 or visit www.willowtheatre.org for further information and seating chart. Fifteen Boca restaurants will compete in a Boca Burger Battle: A Grilling Affair at Sanborn Square July 14 from 7 to 11 p.m. Tickets are $50 advance at www.bocaburgerbattle.com or $75 that evening which includes food, wine and spirits. Gold Coast Public Relations Council hosts “Meet the Editors” July 17 11:30 a.m. at NCCI Holdings, 901 Peninsula Corporate Circle. Visit www.goldcoastprcouncil.com or email gcprc@gmail.com for further information. The Levis JCC hosts the second annual “Run, Sweat & Beers “ benefit 5k run/walk on July 19 at 7 p.m. in the South County Regional Park, West Boca. Fee is $30. Register at www.levisjcc.org/5k. The first 400 registered runners get a shirt. Axl and Oliver Vinograd, varsity golf brothers at Spanish River High School will host their first annual Kids Cancer Foundation Golf Tournament Fundraiser on July 29 at Boca Greens Country Club. Scramble shotgun start is 1 p.m. followed by a reception and raffle ceremony at 6 p.m. Email axlboca10@hotmail.com or call 561.350.9519 for more info. On Friday, August 31, the Sunset Cove Amphitheater will host a live concert featuring Sublime with Rome with special guests Cypress Hill, Pepper, and the Dirty Heads. The Boca Raton Theatre Guild’s 2012-2013 season will begin with a comedy, and end with a classic. A.R. Gurneys Sylvia, and Kander & Ebbs Chicago will run in September and March at the Willow Theatre in Sugar Sand Park, located at 300 South Military Trail in Boca Raton, just south of Palmetto Park Road. Tickets for Sylvia will go on sale on August 1st, and can be purchased at the Willow Theatre Box office: 561-347-3948. Save the date: "Henrietta, Countess de Hoernle 100th Birthday Gala: Our Legend, Her Legacy" will take place on her birthday, Sept. 24, at Boca West Country Club. The event presenter is The Order of St. John of Jerusalem, Knights Hospitaller. Honorary chairpersons are Christine Lynn and Barbara and Dick Schmidt. Gala chairwoman and vice chairwoman are Commander Isabel K. Paul and Dame Alyce E. Erickson, respectively. Hollywood celebrity couple Giuliana and Bill Rancic will be the keynote speakers at Boca Raton Regional Hospital Foundation’s 9th Annual Go Pink Luncheon Friday, October 26, 2012 from 11am to 1:30 pm at the Boca Raton Resort & Club. The second Meet Me on the Promenade downtown street festival is Oct. 26 and 27 with a Halloween theme. WWW.WestBocaLeaders.com has openings in some categories. Call 561.852.0000 for further information. If you have foreclosure issues, go to www.finestofsouthflorida.com and call 561.945.0000 for the help you need. You can have your own internet television show very inexpensively. Contact Wayne at wrpbitv@yahoo.com. Birch Communications is a multi-million dollar company with an exclusive wholesale agreement with AT&T. If you would like to save money on your AT&T land phones without changing your numbers, call 561.852.0000. For Al-Anon-meetings in South Palm Beach County, go to www.southpalmbeachafg.org/meeting_list.html Barry Epstein, APR, is a noted public relations, marketing and political consultant based in Boca Raton, president of the Luxury Chamber of Commerce (www.luxurychamber.com), the West Boca Leaders networking group and the founder and former president of the West Boca Chamber of Commerce; with a weekly internet television show on www.wrpbitv.com. Website; www.publicrelations.nu; email: pr@publicre

Barrys Blog July 5, 2012

Coming from Ohio State University, Patrick Chun, 37, is the new Athletic Director for Florida Atlantic University. In August, Dickey’s Barbecue Pit Restaurant opens a 48 seat, 2,000 sq. ft. place at 21073 Powerline Road, Suite 33. If you are going to the Broward Center for the Performing Arts or Discovery Center, be sure to try the Old Fort Lauderdale Breakfast House, just east of the MODS for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Amazing food with reasonable prices. Check out the menu at www.o-bhouse.com or call 954.530.7520. Florida's Turnpike plazas are getting a $163 million makeover, all paid for by toll fees. The West Palm Plaza will be completed by the end of 2012. Hammock Pointe elementary school received a space shuttle artifact from NASA to be displayed in August. Divorce Party the Musical returns to the Kravis Center through August 19. Tickets are $25 and up. Call 800-572.8471 or visit www.kravis.org. Barry Epstein Live internet television show airs Friday at 10 a.m. on www.wrpbitv.com featuring State Senator Ellyn Bogdanoff, WRPBITV producer Wayne Filowitz and Sun-Sentinel columnists Kingsley Guy and Lynn University political professor Dr. Robert Watson. Watch to win free tickets to the Cinemark theatres. Movies opening at the Cinemark Theatres are Spiderman-(3& ½ stars) (opened Tuesday), Katy Perry: Part of Me (opened today), Woody Allen’s To Rome With Love with Alec Baldwin, Penelope Cruz, Roberto Benigni, Jesse Eisenberg, Greta Gerwig and Ellen Page and Savages directed by Oliver Stone. Movies opening Friday at The Movies of Delray and Lake Worth are To Rome With Love and People Like Us. Your Sisters Sister (3 stars) opens at Movies of Lake Worth too. The Immigrant and Backwards in High Heels are at the Stage Door Theatre 8036 W. Sample Road, Coral Springs Don’t miss the true story of an Immigrant coming to Texas. Call 954.344.7765 for ticket information. Jesus Christ Superstar will be at the Count de Hoernle theatre, 7901 N. Fed. Hwy. Boca from July 5-15. Go to http://www.entractetheatrix.org/ for ticket prices, reservations and further information or call 561.366.9033. Jan McArt, The First Lady of Florida Theatre will be feted at the Sunday July 8 matinee performance. $15 reception cost. Cabaret Verboten is at the Arts Garage, 180 NE 1st Street through July 29. Tickets are $20 to $35. Call 561.450.6357 or visit www.artsgarage.org. The West Boca Community Council features a Meet the Candidates session on July 10 at 9:30 a.m. at Boca Lago Country Club for Palm Beach County Sheriff, State Attorney, Palm Beach County Commission District 5 and State Representatives District 25 and 81. Visit www.westbocacc.com for further information. Starting July 11, the West Boca Leaders networking group will be meeting at Sachs Sax Caplan, 6111 Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 200, Boca Raton. Interested in joining? Check out www.westbocaleaders.com for category availability and call 561.852.0000. Aladdin and His Magic Lamp is at the Willow Theatre in Sugar Sand Park Community Center, 300 S. Military Trail, Friday July 13-Sunday July 15. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children 12 and under. Call 561.347.3948 or visit www.willowtheatre.org for further information and seating chart. The Levis JCC hosts the second annual “Run, Sweat & Beers “ benefit 5k run/walk on July 19 at 7 p.m. in the South County Regional Park, West Boca. Fee is $30. Register at www.levisjcc.org/5k. The first 400 registered runners get a shirt. Axl and Oliver Vinograd, varsity golf brothers at Spanish River High School will host their first annual Kids Cancer Foundation Golf Tournament Fundraiser on July 29 at Boca Greens Country Club. Scramble shotgun start is 1 p.m. followed by a reception and raffle ceremony at 6 p.m. Email axlboca10@hotmail.com or call 561.350.9519 for more info. On Friday, August 31, the Sunset Cove Amphitheater will host a live concert featuring Sublime with Rome with special guests Cypress Hill, Pepper, and the Dirty Heads. The Boca Raton Theatre Guild’s 2012-2013 season will begin with a comedy, and end with a classic. A.R. Gurneys Sylvia, and Kander & Ebbs Chicago will run in September and March at the Willow Theatre in Sugar Sand Park, located at 300 South Military Trail in Boca Raton, just south of Palmetto Park Road. Tickets for Sylvia will go on sale on August 1st, and can be purchased at the Willow Theatre Box office: 561-347-3948. Save the date: "Henrietta, Countess de Hoernle 100th Birthday Gala: Our Legend, Her Legacy" will take place on her birthday, Sept. 24, at Boca West Country Club.The event presenter is The Order of St. John of Jerusalem, Knights Hospitaller. Honorary chairpersons are Christine Lynn and Barbara and Dick Schmidt. Gala chairwoman and vice chairwoman are Commander Isabel K. Paul and Dame Alyce E. Erickson, respectively. Save the Date: Hollywood celebrity couple Giuliana and Bill Rancic will be the keynote speakers at the Boca Raton Regional Hospital Foundation’s 9th Annual Go Pink Luncheon October 26, at the Boca Raton Resort & Club. The second Meet Me on the Promenade downtown street festival is Oct. 26 and 27 with a Halloween theme. WWW.WestBocaLeaders.com has openings in some categories. Call 561.852.0000 for further information. If you have foreclosure issues, go to www.finestofsouthflorida.com and call 561.945.0000 for the help you need. You can have your own internet television show very inexpensively. Contact Wayne at wrpbitv@yahoo.com. For Al-Anon-meetings in South Palm Beach County, go to www.southpalmbeachafg.org/meeting_list.html Birch Communications is a multi-million dollar company with an exclusive wholesale agreement with AT&T. If you would like to save money on your AT&T land phones without changing your numbers, call 561.852.0000. Barry Epstein, APR, is a noted public relations, marketing and political consultant based in Boca Raton, president of the Luxury Chamber of Commerce (www.luxurychamber.com), the West Boca Leaders networking group and the founder and former president of the West Boca Chamber of Commerce; with a weekly internet television show on www.wrpbitv.com. Website; www.publicrelations.nu; email: pr@publicrelations.nu, or fax column items to 561.451.0000. His blog is on the Sun-Sentinel/Jewish Journal website at www.floridajewishjournal.com - http://barrys-journal.blogspot.com.