November 2023
Serving Hypoluxo Island, South Palm Beach, Manalapan, Ocean Ridge, Briny Breezes, Gulf Stream and Coastal Delray Beach
Volume 16 Issue 11
Along the Coast
Is new law ‘nosy’ or advancing the cause of ethics? By Charles Elmore
Storytime
INSIDE
ABOVE: Deborah Dowd reads ‘With Lots of Love,’ written by Jenny Torres Sanchez, to teacher Jill Quiggin’s fourthgrade class at Plumosa School of the Arts on Oct. 26 as part of Delray Reads Day and the Read for the Record campaign by the nonprofit Literacy Coalition of Palm Beach County. RIGHT: Melissa Bauerlein and her children, Donovan, 1, and twins Parker and Cameron, 3½, listen to the same book at Boca Raton’s Downtown Library. Photos by Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star
Half or more of the governing council members in some southern Palm Beach County coastal towns say they are considering resignation before Dec. 31 because they worry a new state financial disclosure law amounts to, as resigning Ocean Ridge Commissioner Ken Law’s impact Kaleel put it, a “Nosy Manalapan, Briny Neighbor statute.” Breezes officials It puts local consider options. governments in a Pages 12-13 massive hustle mode to keep functioning, whether that means appointments, special elections, rethinking of resignation plans or other solutions to keep the chairs filled. Municipal leaders are attending workshops and meetings to figure out if they want to file the more rigorous Form 6 that discloses net worth and other details for the public to access. Records requested by The Coastal Star shed light on at least some aspects: Nearly 95% of officials in Palm Beach County filed required disclosures of the current form, but among those who did not, fewer than 10% who were assessed fines in the last five years actually paid them as of early October. That’s an unpaid pile of more than $236,000 in fines, including 11 past-due bills sent to collection efforts, according to data See ETHICS on page 12
Along the Coast
Strollin’ down the Jimmy Buffett highway? By Ron Hayes
After Jimmy Buffett died on Sept. 1, too many national news reports reacted as if Florida’s beloved balladeer of boats, beaches and bars had written only two memorable songs in his 53-year career. There was Margaritaville, of course, the most famous, and Cheeseburger In Paradise, the cleverest. But nestled within his 32 albums are gentler tunes — wistful, romantic and wise — that capture perfectly the Florida those of us living here know so well. You could even argue that Jimmy Buffett once
wrote a song about South Palm Beach and Briny Breezes, Delray Beach and Boca Raton. There’s something ’bout this Sunday, It’s the most peculiar gray, Strollin’ down the avenue That’s known as A1A That song is called Trying To Reason With Hurricane Season, from his 1974 album A1A, and if the state Legislature agrees, A1A the state road will gain a new name when A1A the album turns 50 next year. See BUFFETT on page 26
PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID WEST PALM BCH FL PERMIT NO 4595
‘Smoke and Mirrors’ Boca Museum show offers works by 30 artists. Page AT17
A proposal in the Legislature would name A1A the Jimmy Buffett Memorial Highway in honor of the late balladeer. Pictured are the signs at Ocean Boulevard and Ocean Avenue in Ocean Ridge. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star
New HQ for Delray police, fire? Move could spark West Atlantic refresh. Page 20
House of the Month
Ocean Ridge townhouse has great views. Page AT35