| May, 2017

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Posted on 04 May 2017 by LeslieM

RE: Hillsboro Beach suing Deerfield over sand issue

Dear Neighbors,

Today [April 24], the Town of Hillsboro Beach took formal legal action against the City of Deerfield Beach.

Standing in for the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), as authorized under 120.69 Florida Statutes, the Town’s formal Petition charges Deerfield with ignoring the conditions set forth in the permits that allowed the City to build a series of sand-trapping groins/rock piles in the late 50s and early 60s. The groins run the entire length of Deerfield’s one-mile beach, with a structure placed approximately every 100 ft.

The permit condition with the greatest impact on Hillsboro Beach stipulates that downdrift damage (a well-known byproduct of groins) to adjacent properties is Deerfield’s responsibility to remedy. In short, Deerfield was given permission to build the groins only after agreeing that it is Deerfield’s responsibility to cover the cost of dealing with subsequent downdrift erosion.

Instead, while Deerfield has enjoyed a beautiful beach provided by the sand-trapping function of the groins, Hillsboro Beach taxpayers have paid to repair the damage caused by these structures. Today’s legal action is an effort to enforce the permit conditions and move the cost of the remediation where it legally belongs. Given that permit conditions do not have a statute of limitation, the conditions enumerated in Deerfield’s permits remain in effect as long as the structures remain in the water.

The Town initially reached out to Deerfield for relief on Oct. 27, 2015 at a joint meeting of 24 people, which included legal counsel, engineers and representatives from the municipalities, as well as from DEP. At that time, Deerfield’s City Manager stated that Deerfield had “no intention of spending a nickel” to help address the erosion in Hillsboro Beach. During the next 18 months, Deerfield’s combative, belligerent attitude has not shifted. At substantial expense to Deerfield taxpayers, the City immediately hired a well-known team of litigating attorneys who have repeatedly shown no interest in successful negotiations/mediation. As a result, the Town has been left with no alternative but to seek a remedy through the court system.

The rising cost of sand has made it unsustainable for Hillsboro Beach residents to continue to pay for Deerfield’s beautiful beach. Hillsboro Beach spent $17 million in 17 years on beach remediation. The last major nourishment done by the Town was in 2011 at a cost of $6.1 million, financed with a 10-year loan that retires in 2020. The sand from the 2011 nourishment was gone by 2014, leaving six years of payments for a beach no longer there. Since the cost of sand is rising exponentially as the resource becomes more and more scarce, the next major nourishment is estimated to cost as much as triple the 2011 expense.

Today’s action is the first step to force Deerfield to honor their legal commitment to be responsible for downdrift damage caused by its sand-trapping groins. [See more about Sand, Pg. 1]

Deb Tarrant

Mayor, Town of

Hillsboro Beach

Comments Off on LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

HAPPENINGS

Posted on 04 May 2017 by LeslieM

Teacher Appreciation Breakfast

Thursday, May 4, 7:30 to 9 a.m.

DoubleTree at Hilton

100 Fairway Dr.

Deerfield Beach, FL 33441

Deerfield Beach Chamber of Commerce honors the Teacher of the Year from every public and private school in city of Deerfield Beach. Please Register at www.deerfieldchamber.com.For more information, call 954-427-1050 or email info@deerfield chamber.com.

Wags & Tales program

Saturday May 6, 10:15 a.m.

Deerfield Beach Percy White Library

837 E. Hillsboro Blvd.

Deerfield Beach, FL 33441

Readers ages 5 and up are welcome to read to Bentley the therapy dog. Sign up with the librarian at the service desk. For more information, call 954-357-7680.

Relay For Life of Deerfield Beach, Pompano Beach, Lighthouse Point & Hillsboro Beach

Saturday, May 6, 6 p.m. to midnight

Quiet Waters Park

401 S. Powerline Rd.

Deerfield Beach, FL 33442

Register your team or register as a survivor at www.relayforlife.org/dblpfl or www.relayforlife.org/pompanobeachfl. For more information, contact Arleen Uria-Speed at Arleen.UriaSpeed@cancer.org, or call 954-200-7526.

Worth the Drive: Fort Lauderdale Air Show

Saturday, May 6 & Sunday, May 7

Fort Lauderdale Beach

For information, visit www.FordLauderdaleAirShow.com or call 877-377-8499.

Woman’s Club meets

Tuesday, May 9, 1 pm.

910 E. Hillsboro Blvd.

Deerfield Beach, FL 33441

Speaker: Jennifer Disla, Job Training Coordinator at the Boca Helping Hands organization. For more information, call 954-421-4700.

Deerfield Beach Orchid Society meets

Tuesday, May 9, 7:30 p.m.

Woman’s Club of Deerfield Beach

910 E. Hillsboro Blvd.

Deerfield Beach, FL 33441

Speaker: George Hatfield, President, American Orchid Society (AOS.) No charge for a guest to visit the first two times. After that, there is an annual membership fee. Visit www.deerfieldbeachorchidsociety.org or email deerfieldorchids@gmail.com.

Ribbon cutting ceremony

Pompano Beach Cultural Center and Library

Thursday, May 11, 5:30 p.m.

The Pompano Beach Cultural Center

50 W. Atlantic Blvd.

Pompano Beach, FL 33060

Free and open to the public. Following the ceremony, view the world premiere Cuban art exhibit and live performances throughout the building. For more information, visit www.ccpompano.org or call 954-839-9578.

Save the Date: Kiwanis West to Honor DB Teachers

Friday, May 12, 6:30 p.m.

Woman’s Club of Deerfield Beach  

910 E. Hillsboro Blvd

Deerfield Beach, FL 33441

Dinner, entertainment and awards ceremony. Tickets $30. Call 954-428-1537. Tickets also available at the door.

Comments Off on HAPPENINGS

CLERGY CORNER: Give me some passion

Posted on 04 May 2017 by LeslieM

Joshua 24:2 — And Joshua said unto all the people: “Thus said the LORD, the God of Israel: Your fathers dwelt of old time beyond the River, even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nahor; and they served other gods.”

Why does Joshua begin admonishing the people with the observation of how morally degraded our ancestors were? Besides, which of our ancestors worshiped idols? Abraham smashed the idols and embraced Monotheism! True, it took Abraham some time till he discovered that the idols were futile. But why would we make mention of that at this point?

The answer is powerful. Joshua is not simply describing our disgraceful past, “In the beginning our fathers served idols; but now the Omnipresent One has brought us close to His service.” Rather, Joshua is explaining why indeed G-d brought us close to His service. “In the beginning our fathers served idols”—and that is why “now the Omnipresent One has brought us close to His service.” Had our fathers not worshiped idols, G-d could have never brought us close to Him.

What indeed was the difference between our grandfather Terach and our father Abraham? If Abraham rationally realized that the statutes of his father were nothing but lifeless, stone images, and that the universe must have a transcendental designer and creator, why could his father not understand this?

The foundations of Judaism do not require blind faith. They are rational. To assume that a house was built by contractor, not by mistake as a result of an avalanche randomly combining the bricks, is not irrational. To accept that an infinite and brilliant world has a designer who is mindful is rational. To accept that quintillions of atoms, structured in a way to create all the matter around us, were organized by intent is not foolish. To observe billions of units of DNA embedded in a single cell of a tiny organism and assume someone organized them, is as irrational as thinking that a computer program consisting of three billion organized codes was randomly compiled by error. And remember, DNA does not create a computer program; it is the source of life.

If so, why is it that some are like Abraham—they will reject the deities of the time and embrace truth, while others will be like Terach, continue to stick to old, comfortable irrational notions?

The answer is, “In the beginning our fathers served idols”—and that is why “now the Omnipresent One has brought us close to His service.” Abraham worshipped idols! That is the key. He took faith seriously. He craved to know the truth. He was idealistically searching to find what is at the core of life. He served idols with passion, and deep commitment, believing that they constitute the answer to the question of life.

His father Terach was not searching for truth, only for comfort. The god statues provided a fine business and he would not be disturbed by philosophical questions.

Do you care for truth or not?—that makes all the difference. Our forefathers worshipped idols, they passionately believed this was “it.” When they found the real G-d, they channeled their passion toward truth.

But if you are a person who does not worship anybody or anything—only your own needs and comforts at any moment, then even if you understand the truth about the universe, it makes little difference.

Rabbi Tzvi Dechter is the Director of Chabad of North Broward Beaches. For all upcoming events please visit www.JewishLHP.com.

Comments Off on CLERGY CORNER: Give me some passion

Everything’s Coming Up Rosen: Live to be 100?

Posted on 04 May 2017 by LeslieM

By Emily Rosen

ERosen424@aol.com

www.emilyrosen424.com

OK, I promise … this is my last column of comment on my age. I’ve got to get beyond the miracle of having lived 90 years and acknowledge that, having made it this far, I would kind of like to go the distance another 10 years while remaining in the shape that I’m in. There is sooooo much in this world that is in seismic upheaval, and, by golly, I’d really like to see how it turns out. Yes, I guess I am greedy.

Those driverless cars, for instance, are coming, and I want to be in one that drives itself—what a long way from the old non-air-conditioned jalopy I grew up with! Then, there’s the 3-D printer and its effect on every aspect of our economy, which doubtless will emerge strong in the next 10 years. And what a turn from the old mimeograph machines that left ink on my hands as I turned out class assignments in the 50s.

I want to live to see a slow-down in the results of climate change – and ways that cheaper and cleaner energy will give the planet a chance for good to conquer evil.

And OMG—I just this minute received a text that told me about a new device the size of a tissue box that can harvest drinkable water from thin air.

All this coming in the next 10 years? So, speaking of texts – let’s go back to the innovations during the past 10 years as in Smartphones, Apps, You Tube, GPS, blogs, Facebook, Twitter, selfies, Alexa, Google, Uber, Airbnb. And I’ll bet you could add another full page of lists of changes within the past decade that I didn’t mention. Oh, what a difference 10 years can make. And we haven’t even touched on politics and the sad escalation of lack of civility.

But, see how one can so easily become diverted. I had planned, in this column, to answer the question everyone has asked me: “What’s your secret – of 90 years still on your feet?” And my answer, alas, will be of little help to anyone. It is simply: just plain good luck, as well as the fact that I don’t much like the taste of booze or coffee, or tobacco – and that spinach, broccoli, kale, and just plain water, have far more palate appeal for me. I consider that “luck.”

That, aided perhaps by a few pieces of wisdom gathered throughout the years: I have learned to distinguish between reasonable and realistic expectations, and have trained myself to go for the realistic ones. And, for its universal appeal that covers the main ingredients of a healthy life, I go for the serenity prayer despite that I am not especially prayerful: God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can and wisdom to know the difference.

Live to 100 — in good condition? Hmmmmm.

Comments Off on Everything’s Coming Up Rosen: Live to be 100?

Grand Opening, Luigi Di Roma opens in Deerfield

Posted on 01 May 2017 by LeslieM

By Rachel Galvin

There is a new Italian restaurant in Deerfield Beach. Celebrating its grand opening, Luigi Di Roma is located in the old Frank and Dino’s (which has moved to East Boca Raton). Chamber members had a chance to sample some cuisine at the ribbon cutting on April 20. This new locale, owned by Al Bova and his fiance Kristine Plesniak (pictured, pg. 1), features regional Italian cuisine.

I have long felt a high end Italian restaurant with large portions and reasonable prices would do well here,” said Bova. “Most Italian restaurants are overpriced and the quality is not good.”

Here, you will find selections like meatballs or Italian sausage slow simmered in Sunday gravy and ricotta over rigatoni, snapper francese, chicken parmigiana, fettucine alfredo, seafood fra diavolo, panini sandwiches and so much more. On Sundays, they have brunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. They have a full bar and a happy hour every day from 4 to 7 p.m. with cocktails, wine and beer for half price and six light bites for $6 each. Ask about their family dinner, available on certain days, in which you can get a four course meal for $20.

They have entertainment Wednesdays through Saturdays starting at 6:45 p.m.

Luigi Di Roma is open starting at 4 p.m. every day but Sunday and closes at 10 p.m. during the week, 11 p.m. on weekends. They are located at 718 S. Federal Hwy. in Deerfield Beach. For more information, call 954-281-8788 or visit www.LuigiDiRoma.com.

Comments Off on Grand Opening, Luigi Di Roma opens in Deerfield

Advertise Here
Advertise Here