Posted on 11 December 2020 by JLusk
Photos & Story By Rachel Galvin
People lined up along the Intracoastal Waterway to watch the 58th Annual Greater Pompano Boat Parade on Friday, Dec. 11. This year was a salute to first responders and essential workers. Masked bystanders waved and shouted holiday greetings back to the boats as they maneuvered down the Waterway from Lake Santa Barbara to the Hillsboro Bridge.
The parade, presented by CHAOS Fishing, was “headquartered” at Sands Harbor Resort & Marina in Pompano, where the emcee usually announced the boats and where the judging takes place. People could also board The Musette like usual.
This is the longest continuously-running Holiday Boat Parade in the nation. The best viewing experience was rumored to be in Sullivan Park, where people were spread out and masked. Registration was required and COVID-19 safety protocols were put in place.
To find out more about the parade and additional sponsors, visit the Greater Pompano chamber website.
Posted on 10 December 2020 by JLusk
Commissioner Hudak & Drosky were two who lit up the tree at Night of Lights event Dec. 5.
By Rachel Galvin
Yes, it has been pretty cold lately, but do you know that it snowed on Saturday in Deerfield Beach? OK, it wasn’t real snow, but snow nonetheless. The occasion for the wintery weather was Night of Lights, an event that used to be called Ocean Way Holiday and was held on the beach. This year, it was moved to the Sullivan Park parking lot and had a lot of safety measures in place due to COVID-19. The event was for residents only. They had to register online and prove they were residents. Then, they had a temperature check upon arrival.
Seating was within socially-distanced areas differentiated using chalked squares on the ground. The show was filled with costumed characters like Mickey & Minnie Mouse, Goofy (I think it was Goofy), the chipmunks, Elmo, Big Bird and Hello Kitty. It was put on by ZMC Event Productions. The half-hour song and dance number, which culminated with the best performance of the night by Santa and some ballerinas, was re-run four times throughout the night, so that each show only had a limited audience. People were quickly exited after each show to let the next batch come in.
Besides the family-friendly show, there was Santa in a snow globe to take pictures with, stilt walkers and inflatable characters –including some from Star Wars. Kris Mory, who oversees the CRA, was handing out doughnuts and hot cocoa. Holiday coloring books and candy canes were also given out to children by several staff members. Parks & Recreation Manager II Mary Davis was giving out holiday masks too. And, of course, there was the snow falling. Commissioner Hudak, Drosky and Mayor Ganz were in attendance to light the Christmas tree.
Posted on 09 December 2020 by JLusk
Historian and author Sally Ling will be featured at December History Hour put on by the Deerfield Beach Historical Society on Dec. 18 at 5:30 p.m. at the Cultural Center on SE 4 Ave. right across the street from The Butler House. There is limited seating. R.S.V.P. requested. Call Judi Stanich ar 954-461-1152. OR you can watch from home via facebook Live on their Facebook page! Sally will be talking about Deerfield with a focus on the Percy White Library.
Posted on 07 December 2020 by JLusk
Photo provided by Avis Swenson
The Rotary Club of Deerfield Beach is giving a $500 donation this holiday again to Gateway Community Outreach (pictured below) and Center for Active Aging.
In addition, they just announced their board members for 2021-2022. There was no election necessary as no other nominations came in.
2021-2022 New Board Members
President John Grimstad
President Elect and Past President Marcos Liberato
Secretary Val Hackett
Treasurer Donna Kirk
Board members: John Patterson, Enrique Palacios and Avis Swenson
Rotarians Avis Swenson & Val Hackett (right) present check to Gateway Community Outreach.
Posted on 04 December 2020 by JLusk
The City of Deerfield Beach welcomes the man from the North Pole on Saturday, Dec. 12 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. It seems that Santa is looking forward to the warmer weather and will even be taking a dip. He is inviting people to come take an underwater photo with him again this year. This interesting event will be held, as usual, at the Aquatic Center, at 501 SE 6 Ave. Registration is $2 per household and includes a digital photo that will be sent upon the conculsion of the event. Registration will be taken the day of.
Due to the current COVID-19 situation and the recommended CDC & Broward County guidelines, all participants must sign a release waiver, wear face masks, and be pre-screened. Participants must come ready (in a bathing suit) to enter the water. Visit their website at
https://www.deerfield-beach.com/1961/Events to read their event modifications for the 2020 Scuba Santa event. Social distancing and masks will be enforced.
Posted on 02 December 2020 by JLusk
The Winterfest Boat Parade might be canceled, but Pompano’s boat parade is still on! For the 58th year, 50 to 75 lit-up and decorated boats will travel up the Intracoastal Waterway, north from Lake Santa Barbara, on Friday, Dec. 11 from 6 to 10 p.m. The event is hosted by the Greater Pompano Beach Chamber of Commerce and sponsors.
This year’s parade theme will be a salute to First Responders and Essential Workers.
One of the many boats through the years…
Want to put your boat in the parade? Register on the Chamber’s website.
Posted on 02 December 2020 by JLusk
 Santa’s “sleigh” back in 2015… Every year, Santa comes from the North Pole to “drive” through the streets of Deerfield Beach on his sleigh, along with Mrs. Claus. Despite everything happening in the world, he is doing it once again. This year’s Operation Santa will be a drive-thru event only and will take place on Dec. 13. Where he will be is listed below.
The Broward Sheriff’s Office asks anyone who plans to attend the drive-thru event to please practice social distancing, wear your masks, or stay in your cars. This is important so that Santa and Mrs. Claus are healthy and able to perform their duties all over the world this Christmas.
The times listed below are approximate times and could vary (within a 30 minute window). Santa’s sleigh could arrive early or late, and times are not guaranteed to be exact due to traffic, weather, etc.
Operation Santa Schedule:
09:30 AM Highlands Park
10:00 AM South Crystal Heights Park
10:30 AM Water Ways Club House
10:45 AM Independence Bay Clubhouse
11:15 AM Ada Graham Johnson Park
11:45 AM Constitution Park
1:00 PM Oveta McKeithan Recreational Complex
1:30 PM Pioneer Park
1:45 PM Sullivan Park
2:00 PM Ocean Way Drive
2:30 PM Middle School Complex
3:00 PM Howard Mayo Park
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Posted on 25 November 2020 by JLusk
The City of Deerfield Beach is excited to announce the upcoming Winter Soccer Program!
Registration is currently open and is $40 for residents and $50 for non-residents. The deadline for registration is Tuesday, Dec. 1. Soccer will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6 to 8 p.m. beginning on Tuesday, Dec. 1 and run through Thursday, Jan. 28, 2021, at the Middle School Athletics Complex, 601 SE 6 Ave. The age group ranges from 3-15, join us for fun!
For additional information, contact the Athletics Division at 954-480-4426.
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Posted on 25 November 2020 by JLusk
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Watch out for Manatees! Manatee season started on Nov. 15 and runs through March 31, which means more of these gentle sea cows may be swimming in our waters and boats can do them a lot of damage if they are not careful.
Broward County recently sent out a statement about Manatees, below, which gives more information about these gentle creatures of the sea:
As air and water temperature drop, manatees begin moving south toward warm-water refuges while seasonal and manatee protection speed limit zones go into effect throughout the State. Broward County’s Environmental Planning and Community Resilience Division implements the county’s manatee conservation program and cautions boaters to be on the lookout for greater numbers of manatee presence throughout the County’s waterways (including the intracoastal, canals, and natural waterways) during the cooler months.
During one manatee season, more than 1,200 manatees have been documented in the County’s waterways on a single day; this can represent a significant portion of the entire population of manatees in Florida. With colder weather, an area of notable concentration of manatees is in and around the Lauderdale Power Plant cooling lakes off the South Fork New River and the Port Everglades Power Plant cooling canal. As the air and water warms after a period of cold weather, the manatees will move into the surrounding canals and Intracoastal Waterway to forage, thus increasing the chance of manatee/boater interaction. Statewide, 130 manatees were killed by boats in 2019 with 4 of those deaths occurring in Broward County. Boaters should be aware that the maximum speed for boats in regulated waterways may differ from what is allowed during the warm weather months.
Although manatees are quite large, they can be difficult to see from a boat as they often swim and rest just below the water’s surface. To avoid striking manatees, vessel operators should obey all posted speed limits, wear polarized sunglasses to help them spot the animals in the water, and watch for the large, tell-tale circular slicks on the surface of the water caused by the tail (manatee “footprints”) that indicate the presence of manatees.
If a manatee is spotted, the sighting can be reported by using the County’s “I Spy a Manatee” mobile app (available for free download on the Apple App and Google Play stores). In addition to allowing users to report sightings of manatees, the app provides maps of the County’s state-regulated manatee protection and boating safety zones allowing boaters to immediately see what zone(s) they are traveling through if using the location services of the mobile device.
If you see a sick, injured, or dead manatee, call the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FWC) Wildlife Alert Number at (888) 404-FWCC (3922), *FWC or # FWC on a cell phone or with a text to tip@myfwc.com. You’ll be asked to answer several questions such as whether the manatee is alive or dead, it’s approximate size, and exact location.
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Posted on 25 November 2020 by JLusk
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Thanksgiving is always the time we end up eating way too much and looking for an outlet to burn it off. Well, the City of Deerfield Beach is aiding with that endeavor in a fun and safe way, with their ABC Workout Challenge. It is virtual. You have until Tuesday, Dec. 1 to complete it. To find out the details, you have to register by signing a waiver, which is free. Then, as you participate, take a photo or video and email it in. A winner is chosen in each category too!
Details:
One winner per age category will be chosen at random. Winner will be contacted via the email they utilized to provide their photo and waiver. If they don’t respond within in 2 days a new winner will be chosen and reached out to via email.
Categories & Age Range
Senior Citizen: 60+
Adult: 18+
Child: 5 -17 years old
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