Month: July 2017

How to eat cheap at downtown Delray’s priciest restaurants this week

A crowd gathers outside City Oyster on Atlantic Avenue. (Photo by Lannis Waters/ The Palm Beach Post)

DELRAY BEACH — Want a three-course meal for as little as $20 at one of downtown Delray Beach’s most popular eateries?

You’ve got it — for this week only.

It’s Restaurant Week in Delray Beach, so restaurants, juice bars and cafes will offer discounted multi-course meals today through Saturday. Spots are filling quickly, so make reservations in advance where you can, the city’s Downtown Development Authority says.

» READ: Clerk catches men installing credit-card skimmer at Delray gas pump

These are the participating restaurants and the deals they’ll offer this week. Just click the link for the prix fixe menus:

Sea turtle near Delray dies after consuming fishing line

Dugan, an adult green sea turtle rescued near Delray Beach on Tuesday, died two days later with fishing line in his intestines, according to Gumbo Limbo Nature Center. The center is pointing to his death as reason to recycle fishing line and keep the ocean clear of debris. (Courtesy of Gumbo Limbo)

DELRAY BEACH — A sea turtle that washed ashore near Delray Beach this week died after a boat strike and consuming material used in fishing lines. And Boca Raton-based Gumbo Limbo Nature Center is pointing to the death as reason to keep the ocean clear of debris.

Dugan, the adult male green sea turtle rescued in Highland Beach on Tuesday, died Thursday, the nature center said. He washed ashore with severe external injuries likely caused by a boat strike.

Turtle rehabilitation specialists operate on Dugan, an adult green sea turtle rescued near Delray Beach on Tuesday. Dugan later died due to complications from fishing line in his intestines. (Courtesy of Gumbo Limbo)

Delray Beach Fire Rescue and Highland Beach Nesting Patrol assisted in the rescue.

» READ: Why Boca wants control of ‘private’ holiday park displays (Hint: Satanic signs)

But upon closer examination, the Boca Raton turtle rehabilitation center determined that monofilament, a material used in fishing lines, tangled in his intestines, causing them to coil so food could no longer be digested. 

“This is a reminder to everyone to recycle your monofilament at recycling stations located on piers or take it home,” Gumbo Limbo Nature Center wrote on its Facebook page. “It’s important to keep our oceans trash-free for the safety of all marine life.”

The combination of intestinal damage and injuries from the boat strike led to the turtle’s death. The sea turtle was initially in stable condition after the rescue, the nature center said.

Gumbo Limbo rescues and rehabilitates about 75 percent of the sea turtles that are brought to the facility, at 1801 N Ocean Blvd., but “unfortunately not every patient can be saved,” the nature center said.

 

NEW: International flights coming to Boca Raton Airport soon

BOCA RATON – Pilot Gustavus McLeod (cq) takes off past the tower at the Boca Raton Airport, departing on his fifth attempt to become the first pilot to solo circumnavigate the Earth – pole to pole – in a single-engine plane Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2004.  (Staff photo by Chris Matula)

BOCA RATON — International travelers flying into state-owned Boca Raton Airport will soon be able to cut out an extra leg of their flight.

The airport, on Airport Road at Glades Road just east of Interstate 95, is constructing a U.S. Customs and Border Protection facility so international travelers can soon fly directly into the state-owned airport.

International flights currently have to stop at Palm Beach International or Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International airports to go through Customs before flying to Boca Raton. The 4,400-square-foot Customs office is under construction and expected to open this fall, according to airport officials.

» READ: Why Boca wants control of ‘private’ holiday park displays (Hint: Satanic signs)

“The environmental impact will be measurable in terms of reduced fuel consumption and noise in the community,” Clara Bennett, executive director of the Boca Raton Airport Authority, said in a news release.

The $4.5 million project is largely funded by a grant from the state’s Department of Transportation. The remaining funding came from the Boca Raton Airport Authority, meaning no local tax dollars were used to fund the project.

Local boaters can also clear customs at the Boca Raton Airport when the facility opens.

Aircrafts will be charged $50 to $500 depending on the size of the craft. Marine vessels will be charged about $15 per person. Those fees are expected to offset the cost of Customs and Border Protection services, the airport reports.

 

VIDEO: Boynton officer lassos gator outside home, releases it in canal

Screenshot of a Boynton Beach Police video showing an officer lasso an alligator.

A Boynton Beach police officer has been named the department’s alligator wrestler after he lassoed one on a porch this month and filmed it on his body camera.

A Hunter’s Run resident called police July 10 when he found the gator outside his front door. Lucky for that man, Officer Alfredo Vargas showed up with the proper tools and even more important- training on how to handle the reptiles.

After a few tries, the officer successfully threw a rope around the gator’s head and swung the body around to get the mouth away from him. Then he threw a jacket on the head and held the mouth closed while another officer tied it shut.

Vargas called the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. But facing a long wait time and likely a death sentence for the gator, Vargas decided to take the gator on a short ride to a nearby canal and let him roam free.

 

Study: Downtown Boca Raton quickly running out of parking spots

Mizner Park in Boca Raton, February 11, 2016. (Jennifer Podis / The Palm Beach Post)

BOCA RATON — More public parking will be needed in Boca Raton as the bustling downtown grows, a city study found.

Between 100 and 350 parking places in the central portion of the downtown, near Mizner Park and Royal Palm Place plazas, will be needed in the next two decades based on parking trends, according to Kimley-Horn and Associates, a consulting firm hired by the city. The firm presented the study to city officials Monday.

The firm took a sampling of mid-day and evening parking at the city’s 1,275 public spots in March and April. Only 70 percent of overall parking spots were used during peak hours, but areas such as Mizner Park saw much higher utilization, said Chris Heggen of Kimley-Horn.

» READ: How will $1 billion Mizner 200 project change for Boca approval?

That 70 percent usage “means there is enough parking supply overall in the downtown to meet the demand that is occurring,” Heggen said.

But growth in southern Palm Beach County and expected development in downtown Boca Raton indicates at least 108 parking spots will be needed within the next five years. Up to 350 parking spaces will be needed by 2040, the firm found.

A few options were recommended to alleviate parking pains:

  • Surface parking. The city could purchase between 2.5 and 3.5 acres of land in the central area of downtown and create a surface parking lot.
  • Parking garage. About 2 acres would be needed for a parking garage in the central portion of downtown, and it would cost the city up to $10 million. The parking garage could include meters to generate revenue, Heggen said.
  • Off-site parking with a shuttle. The city could offer parking near the downtown and have a convenient shuttle transport visitors during peak hours.
  • Public-private partnership. Agreements could be made with the owners of built and forthcoming developments to add public parking. Ideally, the city would partner with an office building, which would have parking available during peak evening hours.
  • City government campus parking. The city has discussed building a city government campus in downtown Boca Raton. Additional public parking for visitors could be taken into consideration in planned the government campus, Heggen said.

City leaders pointed out that other areas of the downtown, such as Southeast First Avenue where two new restaurants – Louie Bossi and Frank and Dino’s – have driven up parking needs, have also added to downtown demand in recent months.

» READ: Five secret (and free) places to park in downtown Delray Beach

“You might as well go out and count again,” Mayor Susan Haynie said.

Another option downtown is smart meters, which may eliminate free parking in certain areas.

Pay-to-park may not be ideal in downtown Boca Raton, because some of the spots are underutilized, Heggen said.

The city will collect more data before parking proposals are brought forward.

Pizza chain starts South Florida expansion with Boynton locations

Part owner of Hungry Howie’s Michael Pierson in his new Boynton Beach location on July 25, 2017. (Palm Beach Post/Alexandra Seltzer)

A pizza chain plans to expand in South Florida and has already begun with two new restaurants in Boynton Beach.

Hungry Howie’s opened a store at 4789 N. Congress Ave. in the Meadows Square plaza at Hypoluxo Road, and at 1660 S. Congress Ave. just south of Woolbright Road.

Both openings happened within the past three weeks, said part owner Michael Pierson.

The Hungry Howie’s new Boynton Beach location on July 25, 2017. (Palm Beach Post/Alexandra Seltzer)

The chain is known for its flavored pizza crust and oven-baked subs. They also offer deals every Wednesday, Pierson said.

Delray police to fight crime, drugs and bullying with National Night Out event

Delray Beach Police Chief Jeff Goldman (center in uniform) hands out bubbles to children at the department’s National Night Out event in 2016. (Courtesy of Delray Beach Police)

DELRAY BEACH — City police aim to bond with residents to deter crime, discourage drug use and end bullying through a community gathering Tuesday, Aug. 1.

Delray Beach Police will participate in National Night Out, a police event held in communities throughout the country to strengthen bonds with residents and raise awareness about issues in their areas. It will take place 6 p.m. at the Delray Beach Tennis Center, at 201 W Atlantic Ave.

The free event includes children’s games, music, food and entertainment. Delray Beach Police’s SWAT team and motorcycle unit will hold demonstrations for residents.

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The department is also giving away backpacks filled with school supplies to children who attend the event, according to the department.

City officials, firefighters and paramedics are also expected to attend.

“It’s very important that the community come together and people get to know one another and know their neighbors,” Chief Jeffrey Goldman said in a statement. “If the people in the community come together and know each other, there can be a healthy exchange of information between them and the police and hopefully we can get information to help solve crimes and maybe even prevent crimes.”

This year’s National Night Out will focus on preventing bullying as well as crime and drug use, the themes of previous years.

Delray Beach Police asked that residents lock their doors and turn on the lights outside their homes before attending the event.

“While the one night is certainly not an answer to crime, drugs and violence, National Night Out represents the kind of spirit, energy and determination to help make neighborhoods a safer place year round,” Goldman said. “It is a wonderful opportunity for communities across the city to promote police-community partnerships, crime prevention, and neighborhood camaraderie.”

Boca sends $1B Mizner 200 downtown project back to drawing board

A rendering of Mizner 200 (Courtesy of City of Boca Raton)

BOCA RATON — The plan to build luxury condominium high-rises near Mizner Park in downtown Boca Raton will need to be tweaked before it can secure city approval, a Boca Raton board said Monday.

Mizner 200 is too massive and doesn’t fit the city’s architectural guidelines, said the city’s Community Redevelopment Agency, made up of city council members, in a marathon discussion that lasted more than six hours. Several residents and stakeholders spoke during the meeting to praise the idea or suggest changes.

Developer Elad National Properties offered to work with city staff to fine-tune the project, which includes three buildings with 384 luxury condominiums at an 8.7-acre property between Royal Palm Plaza and Boca Raton Golf Club.

» READ: 3 in custody after car burglaries in Boca Teeca, police say

“We are not going to start everything again. For sure,” Elad CEO Amnon Safron said of once again seeking approval from several city boards. The project has been in the works for more than a year.

Estimated to be worth about $1,000 per square foot, the condominium complex will be worth about $1 billion, said Robert Sweetapple, attorney for Elad National.

The city board suggested scaling the size back, opening the space between the three buildings and emphasizing 3 acres of open space with small parks.

“It’s a big site,” said Councilman Jeremy Rogers. “I think we want to get it right.”

The project requires demolishing Mizner on the Green, a series of three-story town home buildings. The proposed project is nearly triple in height.

“When you walk by Mizner on the Green … you see the sky. That’s what we’re giving up,” Councilwoman Andrea O’Rourke said.

The board gave Elad National Properties two weeks to tweak the project and submit it to city staff before it can be placed before the board again at an Aug. 21 meeting.

For more details and renderings of this project, read here.

Ice Ice B…oynton? Rapper dines at Boynton Beach cafe

Rapper Vanilla Ice takes a selfie at East Ocean Cafe on July 23, 2017 . (Handout: Cindy Sumlin, owner of the cafe)

Rapper Vanilla Ice dined at a Boynton Beach cafe this weekend and snapped selfies with the restaurant’s owner.

“He’s an awesome guy. He makes everybody smile,” said Cindy Sumlin, owner of East Ocean Cafe.

>> Read: What was Vanilla Ice doing at this Royal Palm Beach restaurant?

The Wellington rapper, whose legal name is Rob Van Winkle, came to the Ocean Avenue spot for lunch on Sunday. Sumlin says the visit wasn’t a rarity; he dines there frequently.

Vanilla Ice with Cindy Sumlin, owner of East Ocean Cafe in Boynton Beach. (Handout: Cindy Sumlin)

The family-owned East Ocean Cafe, at 412 E. Ocean Ave., is known for its eggs Benedict and home fries.

Sumlin shared the photos on the restaurant’s Facebook page and wrote: “What a Wonderful weekend we had at The Cafe. Thank you everyone coming and enjoying breakfast and lunch with us . It was nice to see you again Rob (Vanilla Ice) you always being a smile”

 

You can putt for free in Boca at Mizner Park’s new mini-golf greens

Putt’n On The Plaza, a free min–golf course at Mizner Park in downtown Boca Raton, recently opened. (Contributed)

BOCA RATON — Grab a club and take a swing at Mizner Park’s new — free — mini-golf putting green.

The downtown plaza added a small, complimentary course, called “Putt’n On The Plaza,” with clubs and balls, provided by the city and Community Redevelopment Agency.

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The course is just outside Max’s Grille at the north end of Mizner Park, at Palmetto Park Road and Federal Highway.

All ages are welcome to use the mini-golf course.