By Rachel Galvin

Working together and playing together, this is the foundation of building a community. On October 18, the City of Deerfield Beach showcased their community spirit during their State of the City held on the JM Family campus. This was their 6th annual event and was, according to this reporter’s opinion, one of the best events the city has ever had. The place was packed, as people wandered the area enjoying a wide range of light bites and spirits before sitting down in the outdoor amphitheater space to watch the presentation.

Lenny Chesal was supposed to be the emcee, but was unable to, so the city’s Rebecca Medina and JM Family’s Lisa Davis took over the reins and introduced Mayor Bill Ganz.

Ganz spoke at length, thanking JM Family and recognizing commissioners and local dignitaries, including Broward County Mayor Lamar Fisher; Broward County Commissioner Mark Bogen; Florida Representative Chip LaMarca, whose wife Eileen was there in his stead;as well as members of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce, city staff, the Broward Alliance and the Economic Development Council (EDC). He gave special thanks to Rick Jorden, a longtime employee of JM Family who will be retiring. He gave a shout out to fellow commissioners and former mayor Peggy Noland.

He mentioned that the event was also about commemorating the Deerfield Beach Historical Society and celebrated their 50th anniversary. He mentioned the contributions of the society through their cultural center and also their Butler House, which is turning 100. The historical society also was honored with the JM Family Changemakers award. He acknowledged the passing of city historian Amie Kay Tanner, who will be missed by many.

He talked about some of the ways in which commissioners and himself are working with other groups to make the city better. First, he talked about Commissioner Todd Drosky becoming president of the Broward League of Cities, which is only the second time someone elected from from Deerfield has had this position. District 1 commissioner Michael Hudak also works with the Florida League of Cities. Commissioner Bernie Parness was formerly on the Broward County Planning Council. The mayor added that he, himself, is part of the Broward Metropolitan Planning Organization.The chamber joined the Greater Ft. Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce as Deerfield Beach Council. It pays off, including helping them to get grants, said Ganz, who added that Deerfield is well respected in the greater community and is seen as a leading city on the rise.

Mayor Ganz went on to talk about how almost 60% of residents voted on the sale of the parcel of land on the corner of SW 10th Street and I-95. The city commission, he said, selected the highest and best possible use for the property. It is a concept proposed by MBA Partners at an appraised price of $6 ½ million.

He went into detail about beach renourishment that took place and, through collaborating with Hillsboro and Boca Raton, they saved millions of dollars, by taking advantage of a regular scheduled dredging and utilizing a pipeline. He said the city has been recognized as the Best Beach Renourishment in the nation. Ganz said they also started a Beach Management Program. He talked about the importance of the beach and said it was important to spend the money needed to maintain it. And he mentioned the importance of not waiting to make improvements just to save money.

Ganz pointed out that the Deerfield Ocean Rescue Team won the southeast regional championships’ top trophy, under the leadership of Captain Mike Brown.

In the past year and into the future, they have put in capital investments of more than $10 million in renovations, including repairing the pier, taking care of implementing turtle friendly pedestrian lights, new lifeguard towers, parking lot lights, transportation and event space.

Danielle Rosse will start work on the Palm Restaurant, investing over 2 million dollars with traditional sit down service, grab and go counter, tapas style experience on observation deck.

He also talked about Investments in the park & recreation programs, including replacing several playgrounds, resurfacing athletic courts, putting in a new gym floor at Leo Robb gym, adding outdoor fitness equipment like at Pastor Willie Ford Outdoor Park with art by Basquiat. The Tigner Center and Oveta McKeithen Recreational Complex broke ground this year. The Braithwaite Center for Active Aging and Besos Academy Preschool are expected to open this first quarter. This year, he added that the city put on over 60 special events.  

CRA is in permitting for the second phase of Sullivan Park project. This time next year, he said, will be the ground breaking at the new Seagrass to Sawgrass Center, which will be created in a partnership with Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation.

They have made some advancements in water technology, including implementation of advanced metering infrastructure that provides a more detailed smart meter reading technology that is more accurate. It gives the customer more insight and detects leaks. They also will be updating the Water Treatment Plant. They are implementing an advanced state-of-the-art ion exchange treatment process. They are investing more than $18 million in a special ion exchange treatment process to test for and treat for Pfas, which are man made chemicals that pollute the water worldwide.

He said the city is financially stable. Our bond credit remains at a AA rating. City Reserves are healthy. There is about $30 million in reserve. They can be activated for post disaster recovery and more. The commission approved a $349 million approved budget for fiscal year 2024 funds activities while lowering property tax rates.

“I believe we are the healthiest we have ever been… financially strong and stable…” said Ganz.

Property values exceeded Broward County’s for possibly the first time ever with an 11% increase, compared to 10% for Broward County. This is despite having the 11th lowest assessed value of 31 cities in Broward County… 20 more cities had higher value than we did. We have invested in city with numerous projects. But, we had a 5.7 mill $ increase in revenue, which is great news, but $9.3 mill increase in cost to deliver services. The cost of material and services outpaced our revenue increases. 

“We are not alone in this trend. Every city and county is facing this challenge,” said Ganz.

He added that school grades should be better, which is something he felt the Broward County School Board could also help with.

He also pointed out some things he wished were done better on the state level as well and bemoaned the fact that Tallahassee has “taken away home rule.” 

He also spoke about increases in insurance, something that the audience audibly agreed with.

After the historical society was honored, their president, TJ Eagen, spoke about renovations coming soon to The Butler House. They received a grant and will use it to do a $400,000 renovation to the home over the next two years. They are hoping to open the historic home Wednesday through Sunday for tours, rather than only on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., like it is now. In addition, he mentioned the Pioneer House nextdoor will be a black history museum for the city. He also mentioned all the ongoing programs at the cultural center across the street, from art classes to live music on the driveway, to international films and more. 

The evening concluded with dessert items and more mingling, and those in-the-know went to the after party.

To see photos, visit the Observer Newspaper Online Facebook page.

Robert David Butler, age 75, of Miami, Florida passed away on Monday, October 9, 2023. Known by “David,” he was a link to history here in Deerfield Beach as his parents, Bob and Martha Butler, owned the mid-century modern home now occupied by the Deerfield Beach Historical Society as their cultural center. David Butler was instrumental in making that happen as the only child of the couple, who had passed away.

David’s grandfather was GE Butler, the first mayor of Deerfield Beach, and his uncle was JD Butler, who built the historic Butler House across the street back in 1923. It is one of the oldest homes in the area.

The Historical Society is deeply indebted to David for allowing them to occupy the now cultural center, which has become a home to workshops, classes, art exhibitions, movie presentations and more since.

A visitation for Robert will be held Monday, October 16, 2023 from 10 a.m. to noon at Kraeer-Becker Funeral Home and Cremation Center, 217 E Hillsboro Blvd, Deerfield Beach followed by a funeral service from noon to 1 p.m.  A committal service will occur Monday, October 16, 2023 from 1 to 1:30 p.m. at Deerfield Beach Memorial Cemetery, 380 NE 6 Ave., Deerfield Beach.

By Rachel Galvin

Disney Cruise Line has unveiled their newest ship, The Disney Treasure, which will set sail on December 21, 2024 from Port Canaveral, Florida. This is the sister ship to the Disney Wish that launched in 2022. The Disney Treasure is the perfect ship for Disney lovers and families as they adventure on the high seas.

The design is based on beloved Disney characters and movies, from the Grand Hall, looking much like Agrabah from “Aladdin,” to the Plaza de Coco restaurant reminiscent of the movie “Coco” and beyond. Guests can venture 20,000 leagues under the sea at Periscope Pub, venture into the Skipper Society, inspired by The Jungle Cruise, or unite with fellow adventurers at Worlds of Marvel. They can watch classic Disney films at Wonderland and Neverland Cinemas, or catch a play based on Disney films at the Walt Disney Theatre.

Adults can kick back at the Quiet Cove with its pool and lounge or at the Senses spa while kids enjoy the Mickey and Minnie Captain’s Deck filled with nautical adventures inside or go outside to the Toy Story Splash Zone, or Aquamouse: The Curse of the Golden Egg, which includes animated shorts and 760 feet of winding tubes that kids can be propelled through down to the pool below. There are actually seven pools to enjoy.

If kids really want to discover and explore, they can visit Disney’s Oceaneer Club or get creative at the Walt Disney Imagineering Lab. They can go to a galaxy far, far away and explore new creatures at Star Wars: Cargo Bay, get recruited by the Marvel Super Hero Academy or enjoy royal splendor at Fairytale Hall.

The whole family can also compete at Hero Zone, a sports and recreation venue. Then, they can participate in a Family Time Game Show or other activities at the Lion King inspired Sarabi.

If you are hungry after all that adventuring, they have plenty to choose from, from Mickey & Friends Festival of Food for quick service to themed sit-down luxurious options like Palo Steakhouse, Enchanté by Chef Arnaud Lallement and The Rose.

Then, settle in to luxurious accommodations, from spaces that work well for families to the luxurious concierge suites, two-story Royal Suites and the futuristic Tomorrow Tower Suite.

The ship offers seven-night itineraries to the Eastern and Western Caribbean from Port Canaveral. They set sail next year but you can book as early as September 20 (September 12 for Disney Cruise Line Castaway Club members.

Want to know more about what the Disney Treasure has to offer? You don’t need a treasure map. Just visit disneycruise.com/treasure. Adventure awaits!

A Broward Sheriff’s Office Fire Rescue helicopter crashed into an apartment building in Pompano Beach this morning, Monday August 28. This evidently took place in the area of north Dixie Highway and Atlantic Boulevard just southwest of the Pompano Beach Airpark at approximately 8:45 a.m. Three people were on board, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. The crash left a gaping hole in the roof.

Later it was reported that Captain Terryson Jackson passed away. Evidently, a woman in the apartment complex, yet unnamed also passed away.

This statement was released by BSO: “With a heavy heart, we announce the untimely loss of a longtime employee, Captain Terryson Jackson, who passed away this morning, August 28, 2023, after a BSO Department of Fire Rescue and Emergency Services helicopter crashed in Pompano Beach. Captain Jackson proudly served the people of Broward County for 19 years. He began his fire rescue career in March 2004 in Deerfield Beach and joined the BSO family in October 2011 when the two agencies merged.

Brightline, the only provider of modern, eco-friendly, intercity rail in America, has launched ticket sales for the highly anticipated Brightline Orlando connection. While final preparations are being made for grand opening, tickets between South Florida (Miami, Aventura, Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, West Palm Beach) and Orlando are on sale now for late summer through early 2024. Guests can purchase tickets at gobrightline.com or by downloading the app.

An official opening date and inaugural rides will be announced after Brightline has completed required testing. Guests should sign up for Brightline emails on gobrightline.com to be the first to know when summer inaugural rides will go on sale.

“Brightline guests and the travel market have spoken loudly, and we want to respond by opening ticket sales from late summer through the beginning of next year,” said Patrick Goddard, president of Brightline. “While we are finalizing an official launch date, guests can now book travel for Labor Day, Halloween and holidays through the new year.”

Brightline will offer one-way SMART fares starting at $79 for adults and $39 for kids. Groups of 4+ automatically save an additional 25 percent on SMART fares. SMART service offers a comfortable business-class option onboard in hand-stitched leather seats, complimentary Starlink WiFi, multiple power and USB outlets and an array of food and beverages available for purchase.

One-way PREMIUM fares start at $149, a first class experience with added amenities including a dedicated PREMIUM lounge, priority boarding, checked luggage, and complimentary snacks and beverages throughout the journey.

Transportation and mobility options at Brightline Orlando Station will feature new Brightline+ products including shuttles, Uber rideshare and car rental options, which will cater to the unique needs of the Orlando visitor. When booked, guests receive confirmation email and instructions on how to add on extras available closer to their trip date such as parking, checked baggage, and Brightline+ mobility options.

In South Florida, Brightline offers a wide variety of options to get guests to and from the stations using Brightline+ with Uber, fixed route shuttles to the airports, neighborhood electric vehicles and event shuttles. PREMIUM booked guests also enjoy Brightline’s first and last-mile service to get to and from the station with complimentary Uber rides anywhere within a five-mile radius in South Florida.

BRIGHTLINE FOR BUSINESS

Connecting South and Central Florida by rail will enable increased productivity and flexibility while promoting a better work-life balance. Brightline offers an array of business products for companies and their employees that are seamless and transferable. Brightline for Business is offering an introductory promotion providing a limited time exclusive offer for travel between Orlando and South Florida. To learn more visit Brightline for Business.

WHAT IS THE NEW TRAIN SCHEDULE?

Service will include 16 daily round trips with hourly departures between Miami and Orlando. Regular service from Orlando to Miami will stop at all Brightline stations including West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Fort Lauderdale and Aventura.

Additional dedicated trains will continue to serve commuters and the South Florida region between Miami and West Palm Beach with early morning departures at 5:00 a.m. from West Palm Beach and late night departures until 12:45 a.m. out of Miami.

The complete new train schedule between Miami and Orlando can be viewed by visiting gobrightline.com.

Unveiled for the first time last month, the new Brightline Orlando Station is meticulously designed and built through the lens of today’s modern traveler. The 37,350 square-foot station is located in Orlando International Airport’s new Train Station facility adjacent to Terminal C. The Train Station connects directly to the airport’s Parking Garage C, which will have more than 350 parking spaces branded for Brightline guests. The Train Station provides direct access to the other airport terminals A and B via the airport Terminal Link (automated people mover) in under five minutes.