Bill Thompson, 18583 Lake Bend Drive billthompsonsoj@gmail.com
www.theshoresofjupiter.org
Disclaimer
Copy appearing herewith may not be the viewpoint of The Shores Board of Directors or its newsletter editor. Nor should responsibility be assigned for accuracy or validity or articles contributed by residents or other articles chosen by the publisher or the editor.
Realtime Property Management of South Florida LLC
Alexa Schuck, Property Manager
612 N. Orange Ave., Bldg C-4, Jupiter, FL 33458
The Shores Of Jupiter Homeowners Association Inc.
Board Of Directors, Committee
Board Of Directors:
David Lindley, President
John Hornyak, Vice President
Cynthia Clemente, Secretary
Barry Parker, Treasurer
Sal Greco, Director
Brian Martin, Director
Ryan Warren, Director
Architectural Control Committee:
Brian Martin, Co-Chair
Sal Greco, Co-Chair
John Hornyak
Compliance Committee:
Ryan Warren, Chair
Lakes And Parks Committee:
David Lindley, Chair
Crimewatch Committee:
Bill Thompson, Co-Chair
Sal Greco, Co-Chair
Welcoming Committee:
John Hornyak, Chair
Sylke Lopez
Infrastructure
David Lindley, Chair
Communications and Newsletter Editor: Bill Thompson, Chair
Events & Social Media Committee:
Barry Parker, Co-Chair
Kristi Parker, Co-Chair
Francesca Brown
Tracey Lavoll
Sylke Lopez
Anais Maristany-Diaz
Dena Martin
Webmaster
Kristi Parker
Senior Softball
By Mike Richmond
The Jupiter Senior Softball program, which has experienced record increases in membership, has opened registration for the 2025 season.
The slow-pitch league is open to persons 55 and over and persons who register can play in pickup games through the remainder of this year as well as through 2025. “We had 243 members this year which is a 20 percent increase over 2023,” said Commissioner Paul Storch.
Pitcher Barry Skolnik, 78, is grateful to be playing and enjoying senior softball.
John Cariero, 61, is zeroed in as he prepares to make contact. A Jupiter Farms resident, Cariero joined the softball program in 2017, upon retiring from his 25 year career in the fire service and relocating with his family to Jupiter. His stellar play in center field has earned him the nickname “Johnny Big Glove.” He’s also undergone two knee replacements and serves as executive director of the Jupiter Senior Softball Association.
The league’s three-division format accommodates persons of all skill levels, from recreational play, to very competitive and everything in between. Games are every Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning at Jupiter Community Park, beginning at 8:30 a.m.
This year’s January to March Winter League that featured five teams in three divisions also was a record. Players are coming from as far away as Port St. Lucie in the north as well as from the Jupiter-Tequesta area and other North county communities.
Players most often cite the camaraderie of playing a game they love with others as among the reasons they signed up. They include retired Jersey City, N.J., fire captain, John Cariero, who said, “It’s like being in the fire service again. I have a whole new brotherhood of friends.”
Also enthusiastic about playing senior softball is Barry Skolnik, who turned 78 on Halloween. “I can’t tell you how many friendships I’ve made and I think it keeps me healthy,” he said. The senior softball program is sponsored by the nonprofit Jupiter Senior Softball Association in cooperation with Jupiter’s Parks and Recreation Department.
Registration can be made online at www.leaguelineup. com/jssa. For more information contact Gary Newman at (917) 623-0791.
Palm Beach County Property Appraiser
Dear Taxpayer,
My office has certified the 2024 Real Property and Tangible Personal Property Assessment Rolls for Palm Beach County to the tax collector.
Property tax bills should arrive in mailboxes soon. The Palm Beach County Tax Collector’s Office is responsible for printing and mailing them on or before November 1.
As for my office, we’re already hard at work preparing for next year’s valuations.
This is a great time of year to consider securing your property against fraud. The Palm Beach County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller offers a free property fraud alert service. More about that is in this month’s newsletter.
As we celebrate Veterans Day this month, I also wanted to highlight exemptions available to veterans and activeduty military. We honor the service and sacrifice of those in our armed forces and their commitment to protecting our country.
I hope this Thanksgiving finds you with much to be thankful for. As always, I am thankful to be your property appraiser.
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CALL S.E.T. TODAY FOR YOUR COMPUTER NEEDS!
Editorial copy appearing herewith is not necessarily the viewpoint of Seabreeze Publications of Central Florida. Most editorial copy is created by the homeowners and is edited by their appointed editor.
Military Exemptions And Discounts
These are available to those who qualify for a homestead exemption and who have been honorably discharged.
Veterans 65 Or Older Combat Related Disability Discount
Disabled veterans, age 65 or older, who are partially or totally and permanently disabled, have a disability that was combat-related, and have been honorably discharged upon separation from military service may be eligible for a discount to ad valorem taxes to the percent of their disability.
Veterans Disability Exemption
Veterans with a total and permanent disability that was service connected may be eligible for an exemption from ad valorem taxes. Veterans with a service-connected disability of 10 percent or more may be eligible for an additional $5,000 exemption. Veterans with a non-serviceconnected disability may be eligible for an additional $5,000 exemption.
Surviving Spouse of a Military Veteran Exemption
The surviving spouse of a deceased veteran who qualified for a total and permanent disabled veteran exemption is exempt from ad valorem taxes. The surviving spouse of a deceased veteran who died in the line of duty is exempt from ad valorem taxes. The surviving spouse of a military veteran who died from service-connected causes while on active duty is exempt from ad valorem taxes.
Active-Duty Military Exemption
An exemption is available for service members of any branch of the U.S. Military, U.S. Coast Guard and Florida National Guard who were deployed during the preceding calendar year on active duty outside the continental United States, Alaska, or Hawaii in support of various military operations listed in the Florida Statute 193.173 (2).
The amount of the exemption is equal to the taxable value of the homestead of the service member on January 1 of the year the exemption is sought, multiplied by the number of days that the service member was on a qualified deployment in the preceding calendar year and divided by the number of days in that year. We will do the math for you.
More information is available at pbcpao.gov. You can always call us at (561) 355-2866 or email us at myexemption@pbcpao.gov with questions.
Protect Your Property With Fraud Alert
Scammers commit property fraud by filing fake deeds, making it appear as if they own homes that are not actually theirs. Then, they trick people into giving them money to rent or buy those homes.
The property fraud alert from the Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller is a free service to help you protect your property from fraud by monitoring the documents being recorded in the official records of the clerk’s office.
Register to receive free email alerts when a document such as a deed or mortgage is recorded using your name, your business’s name, or your address. This early notification can save time when stopping scams.
Sign up at mypalmbeachclerk.com.
Holiday Food Drive
This month kicks off the Palm Beach County Property Appraiser’s Office’s annual Holiday Food Drive. The special food-raising campaign is in its 25th year.
Last year, 4,609 pounds of food were collected from staff and donated to Extended Hands Community Outreach and The Glades Initiative.
The Property Appraiser’s Office encourages and supports employee community service throughout Palm Beach County. Our employees are dedicated to giving back to the community that we serve.
Services Manager Virginia Leonard, CFE; Public Services Department Specialist Clarice Bethel-Laing; Public Services Department Customer Service Representative II Robert Castillo (kneeling); Public Services Department Customer Service Representative II Sade Neuforth; Extended Hands Community Outreach Executive Director Coeliah Bryson; Director of Information Technology Richard Hernandez, CGCIO, AAS, ITIL, CFE
Holiday Office Closures
The Palm Beach County Property Appraiser’s Office (including all of our Service Centers) will be closed: Monday, Nov. 11, Veterans Day Thursday, Nov. 28, Thanksgiving Day Friday, Nov. 29, Floating Holiday
Tom English, Laura Berrio, Bret McCormick
Production Manager Lee Nostrant
Production Department
Elaine Donholt • Ruth Nekoranec • Katie Heystek
Dianne Strout • Karen Kalisz • Michelle Feeney
Our office’s 2023 donation; from left to right, Chief Appraiser Cecil Jackson, RES, AAS; staff from Extended Hands; Public
Tax Talk
Dear Friends:
’Tis the season! No, I am not referring to the upcoming holidays or the arrival of our friends from the north for the winter. I am talking about tax season! Yes, tax season is upon us and my office is in full swing. Once the tax bills are mailed at the beginning of November, we see a jump in online payment activity, which is your easiest and quickest way to pay your taxes. Our mailroom is about to become overrun with mail trays for those who prefer to send in their tax payment through the mail. Whichever way you choose to pay, remember that paying your taxes in November provides you with the largest money saving discount of 4% so getting your tax payment to us by November 30 will save you money.
For complete information about paying your property and tangible personal property, visit our website at www.pbctax.gov/taxes/.
Anne M. Gannon, Constitutional Tax Collector, Serving Palm Beach County
First Look! Introducing Our New Website
I am pleased to announce the new Tax Collector website is ready for its debut with a new look and name – say goodbye to pbctax.com and hello to pbctax.gov. With the new “.gov” domain, we get enhanced levels of security and reliability.
Our new website was developed using years of feedback from visitors to our website. Our goal is to ensure that we provide exceptional service in everything we do and that includes our website. Our goal with a new website was to not only give it a cosmetic refresh, but a total renovation from the ground up featuring a new look, enhanced functionality, and updated content.
When you visit the site, you will notice our use of color and imagery to help our visitors navigate our website,
allowing them to locate needed information easily. In addition to the color and imagery we made significant upgrades to the functionality including a new accessibility widget that assists individuals with disabilities to customize the site allowing them to navigate the website more effectively. We also worked on editing the content of our website – simplifying the language and the display of information.
I invite you to experience the new website for yourself, by visiting https://www.pbctax.gov/. We invite you to take a moment to share your experience with our website by visiting https://www.pbctax.gov/.
Honoring Palm Beach County’s Vietnam Veterans
Congratulations, TCO!
Our organization has recently been the recipient of five awards – one for the Finance & Budget team and four for the Communications and New Media team!
The F&B team were once again awarded the Certificate of Merit for Audit by the Florida Tax Collectors Association. This award recognizes our office’s achievement for a perfect 2023/24 audit! Congratulations to Carmen C. Richardson, Chief Financial Officer, and her hardworking team for all they do to ensure we are fiscally responsible and delivering exceptional service to our clients.
Our organization has the honor to participate in the United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration program. Over the past several years, we have honored hundreds of Palm Beach County Vietnam Veterans and their families with a special commemorative lapel pin as my way of saying “thank you” for their service and sacrifice. This is the fifth year we have participated in this special partnership with the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV).
The Communications and New Media team is proud of the hard work that went into our Welcome Guide, which was created and designed for people relocating to Palm Beach County. It details the services offered by the TCO, including driver’s license, motor vehicle registration and property tax payment information. It also includes valuable information to assist new residents with voter registration, school enrollment and other popular county services. We are extremely proud and honored that several national communication organizations have awarded the TCO’s Welcome Guide.
This is the official pin of the United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration, authorized by Congress to recognize the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War. Each pin is embossed with the heartfelt message, “A Grateful Nation Thanks and Honors You.”
Requests can be made by completing a request form online at www.pbctax.gov. Your pin, along with my personal letter of appreciation will be mailed directly to you. These commemorative pins are available to Vietnam Veterans now through November 30. Veterans are only eligible to receive one pin; therefore, if you previously received your commemorative pin, no need to request again. You must be a Palm Beach County resident to participate. We thank you for your service and we are most honored to recognize you with this special commemorative lapel pin.
By Peggy Forgan, M.Ed., College Planner
Navigating the college admissions process can be overwhelming for you and your child. I offer a comprehensive one-to-one personalized approach to college planning, that will provide advantages to significantly enhance your child’s opportunity to gain admission into their top college.
One of the benefits of working with me is the tailored guidance I provide to your child. Every child has unique academic strengths, interests, and career aspirations. I take the time to work alongside your child to understand specific goals and then create a customized plan that aligns with their ambitions. This personalized approach helps your child identify the right high school activities, courses, and experiences to build a resume that supports their passions. This positions your child to uniquely stand out amongst the many competing college applicants.
Second, I offer comprehensive support and start working with your child as early as eighth grade. Although most begin in tenth or eleventh grade, starting early gives your child more time to complete my speed-reading course, take two SAT test prep classes, resume writing, college lists, tours, and stepby-step assistance in the application process. My test prep course pinpoints where your child should concentrate their efforts to increase their test scores. Additionally, I guide your child in identifying and applying for scholarship opportunities, maximizing their chances of reducing college costs.
Third, when students begin working with me in eighth or ninth grade, they learn to develop essential skills such as time management, goal setting, effective communication, and self-advocating. One-to-one college planning positions your child for a future full of opportunity.
I am the owner of Class 101 College Planning North Palm Beach and offer a free consultation to discuss your child’s college planning process. I can be reached at (561)
or www.Class101.com/
Sold-Out Mayor’s Breakfast Showcases Future Growth In Palm Beach North
Recently, the Palm Beach North Chamber of Commerce hosted its highly anticipated Business Before Hours: Annual Mayor’s Breakfast, a sold-out event showcasing the Chamber’s commitment to regional leadership. The event brought together business professionals, community leaders, and elected officials to hear important updates, future development projects, and economic advancements directly from local government leaders.
Attendees had the opportunity to hear from Mayor Peggy Wheeler (Town of Juno Beach), Mayor Jim Kuretski (Town of Jupiter), Commissioner Marie Rosner (Town of Jupiter Inlet Colony), Mayor Roger Michaud (Town of Lake Park), Mayor Ken Metclaf (Town of Mangonia Park), Vice Mayor Debbie Searcy (Village of North Palm Beach), Mayor Chelsea Reed
(City of Palm Beach Gardens), Mayor Alan Fiers (Town of Palm Beach Shores), Councilmember Douglas Lawson (City of Riviera Beach), and Mayor Molly Young (Village of Tequesta). Each leader provided valuable insights into their community’s current projects and upcoming initiatives that will contribute to economic growth and development in Palm Beach North.
“This event continues to be one of our most popular annual gatherings, as it provides invaluable insight into the future of our region,” said Tim Burke, Chairman of the Board for the Palm Beach North Chamber of Commerce. “We are grateful to our mayors and community leaders for their continued dedication to advancing our local economy and ensuring a bright future for Palm Beach North.”
For more information, visit www.pbnchamber.com.
The 40th Edition Of The ArtiGras Fine Arts Festival Is Calling All Youth Artists
To Participate In The 2025 Youth Art Competition
The ArtiGras Fine Arts Festival presented by Tampa General Hospital is calling all students in grades K-12 from Palm Beach County schools to participate in their 2025 Youth Art Competition. As part of the festival’s 40th anniversary celebration, the theme for the 2025 competition is “Nature’s Palette,” and the festival invites young artists to explore and express the beauty and diversity of the natural world through their artwork.
Artwork by 2024 Best of Show Middle School winner, Sophia Clark, from the King’s Academy
The theme encourages students to delve into various aspects of nature, including landscapes, seasons, ecosystems, habitats, environmental awareness, and the flora and fauna that surround us in Florida. Participants are urged to experiment with new methods and materials while ensuring that their submissions reflect the theme in their own unique way.
Five awards will be presented in each grade level, including 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place, as well as two honorable mentions. Additionally, one winner from each school level will be awarded “Best of Show.” The winners will receive ArtiGras awards ribbons, and Best of Show winners will be awarded a $100 check in their name. Prize money will also be awarded to schools based on student performance. Key Competition Details
Eligibility: Open to students in grades K-12 from Palm Beach County schools.
Submission Guidelines: Each school may submit one piece of artwork per grade level. All submissions must be dropped off by Friday, December 13, 2024, at 3 p.m. at Resource Depot in West Palm Beach or the Palm Beach North Chamber of Commerce in Palm Beach Gardens.
Artwork Format: All artwork must be 2-D in any medium (e.g., watercolor, oil, ink, clay, photography) and sized between 8.5” x 11” and 12” x 18” (excluding matting).
Submission Locations
Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Phone: (561) 746-7111
Resource Depot
2508 Florida Ave.
West Palm Beach, FL 33401
Tuesday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.
Saturday, 9 a.m. to 1:45 p.m.
All participating artwork will be displayed in the Youth Art Competition Tent during the ArtiGras Fine Arts Festival on February 15 and 16, 2025.
For detailed rules and regulations, and to ensure your students’ participation, visit artigras.org. For any questions or additional information, please contact Caitlyn Bergman at caitlyn@pbnchamber.com or call (561) 748-3945. For more information visit pbnchamber.com.
Erik Cazares, Timothy Burke, George Gentile, Emily O’Mahoney
Peggy Wheeler, Alan Fiers, Debbie Searcy, Jim Kuretski, Molly Young, Sarita C. Johnson, Chelsea Reed, Marie Rosner, Roger Michaud, Douglas Lawson
Financial Focus®
Donor-Advised Funds: A Smart Way To Give
By Sally Sima Stahl
You can find several ways to make charitable gifts but if you’re looking for a method that can provide multiple tax benefits, along with an efficient platform for giving year after year, you might want to consider a donoradvised fund.
Once you open a donoradvised fund (DAF), you can contribute many types of assets, including cash, publicly traded stocks, bonds, CDs or non-cash items such as closely held business interests, art or collectibles. You can then decide how to invest the money, possibly following a strategy suggested by the DAF sponsor organization you’ve selected. The next step involves choosing which charities to support, how often to provide support (such as once a year) and how much to give each time. You’re essentially free to direct the money to any charities you like, provided they’re IRS-approved charitable organizations.
Now, let’s look at the possible tax advantages offered by a DAF:
• Immediate tax deduction – A few years ago, changes in tax laws resulted in a vastly increased standard deduction, which, in turn, led to far fewer people itemizing on their tax returns and having less incentive, at least from a tax standpoint, to contribute to charities. But if you don’t typically give enough each year to itemize deductions, you could combine several years’ worth of giving into one contribution to a DAF and take a larger deduction in that tax year. And you can claim that deduction, even though the DAF may distribute funds to charities over several years.
• Tax-free growth of earnings – Once you contribute an asset to a DAF, any earnings growth is not taxable to you, the DAF or the charitable groups that receive grants from the DAF.
• Avoidance of capital gains taxes – When you donate appreciated stocks or other investments – or for that matter, virtually any appreciated asset – to a DAF, you can avoid paying the capital gains taxes that would otherwise be due if you were to simply sell the asset and then donate the proceeds to charitable organizations. Plus, by receiving the appreciated asset, rather than the proceeds from a sale, the charitable groups can gain more from your contribution. And you can also take a tax deduction for your donation.
While these potential tax benefits can certainly make a DAF an attractive method of charitable giving, you should be aware of some potential tradeoffs. Once you contribute assets to a DAF, that gift is irrevocable, and you can’t access the money for any reason other than charitable giving. Also, your investment options are limited to what’s available
in the DAF program you’ve chosen. And DAFs can incur administrative costs in addition to the fees charged on the underlying investments.
You may want to consult with your financial professional about other potential benefits and tradeoffs of DAFs and whether a DAF can help you with your charitable giving goals. Also, different DAF sponsors offer different features, so you will want to do some comparisons. And because DAFs can have such significant implications for your tax situation, you should consult with your tax professional before taking action.
If a DAF is appropriate for your situation, though, consider it carefully — it might be a good way to support your charitable giving efforts for years to come.
This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor, Edward Jones, Member SIPC.
Edward Jones is a licensed insurance producer in all states and Washington, D.C., through Edward D. Jones & Co., L.P., and in California, New Mexico and Massachusetts through Edward Jones Insurance Agency of California, L.L.C.; Edward Jones Insurance Agency of New Mexico, L.L.C.; and Edward Jones Insurance Agency of Massachusetts, L.L.C. Edward Jones, its employees and financial advisors cannot provide tax advice. You should consult your qualified tax advisor regarding your situation.
Contact us at (561) 748-7600, Sally Sima Stahl, CFP® , AAMS™, 1851 W. Indiantown Road, Ste. 106, Jupiter, FL 33458.
Jupiter Medical Center Receives Reaccreditation And National Recognition For Excellence In Orthopedics
Jupiter Medical Center is pleased to announce that it has once again earned reaccreditation from The Joint Commission, receiving The Gold Seal of Approval® for total hip and knee replacement, total shoulder replacement, and spine surgery. These accolades highlight Jupiter Medical Center’s unwavering dedication to providing superior health care services.
The Joint Commission, a globally recognized leader in healthcare accreditation, sets rigorous standards to elevate
patient care and safety worldwide. Its independent, not-forprofit evaluations ensure that hospitals meet the highest quality benchmarks.
“As a healthcare accreditor, The Joint Commission works with healthcare organizations across care settings to inspire safer and higher quality of care that is more equitable and compassionate,” says Ken Grubbs, DNP, MBA, RN, executive vice president of Accreditation and Certification
Operations and chief nursing officer, The Joint Commission. “Through collaborating on innovative solutions and evidencebased resources and tools, The Joint Commission helps drive improvement while maintaining accountability through our leading survey methods and standards. We commend Jupiter Medical Center for its commitment to advance safety, quality, equity, and compassion for all patients.”
These accolades are in addition to Jupiter Medical Center’s Blue Distinction Center+ designation for both knee and hip replacement as well as spine surgery. These prestigious designations recognize medical facilities that excel in delivering high-quality specialty care safely and effectively while also meeting cost-efficiency criteria. Remarkably, Jupiter Medical Center continues to stand as the only hospital in Florida to achieve all five of these recognitions.
As a Blue Distinction Center for knee and hip replacement, Jupiter Medical Center is acknowledged for its proficiency in total knee and hip replacement surgeries, including the assessment of patients’ functional outcomes after surgery. The Blue Distinction Center+ designation further recognizes the hospital’s cost-effectiveness and affordability, evidenced by lower complication rates and fewer hospital readmissions.
Jupiter Medical Center leads the way in orthopedic and spine care, ensuring that patients receive the highest quality treatment available. The hospital’s emphasis on innovative practices, patient-centered care, and continuous improvement solidifies its reputation as a premier healthcare provider in Florida and beyond.
For more information about Jupiter Medical Center, visit jupitermed.com, call (561) 263-2234, or follow Jupiter Medical Center on Facebook and Instagram @ jupitermedicalcenter or on Twitter @JupiterMedCtr.
