Stet NewsWelcome fall! For you today, a small wonder in Juno Beach, Riviera Beach council members say yes to more pay, a cornucopia of new stores at The Gardens Mall, an important step in helping our homeless neighbors, what’s old is new again and a season guide to top events.
And as the Jewish New Year begins, we wish our readers a year of health and peace.
🛩️ Aviation Museum lands in Juno Beach
Pan Am, TWA, Braniff, Eastern, National. Those who traveled by air in the early days of commercial aviation will know these names.
Now, in a new museum in Juno Beach, they can see them in exhibits featuring models of hundreds of airlines.
Why it’s important: Collector David Marx’s Aviation Museum on the Beach promises to draw visitors from all over the world as it displays the collector’s vast array of airplane models from KLM Airlines’ “Flying Dutchman” to a replica of the nose cone of Capt. Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger’s jet that safely landed in the Hudson River in 2009.
What they’re saying: “This is the history of passenger flight,” Marx, 73, said. “These are the pioneers.”
The museum is in an office building west of U.S. 1 about a mile north of Donald Ross Road at 790 Juno Ocean Walk.
What you’ll see if you visit:
- A replica of a panel from the Enola Gay, the American B-29 that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima.
- Shelves filled with the models of big airlines of the past: Pan Am, TWA, Braniff.
- A rare C-17 Boeing model.
- A model of the Concorde, the first supersonic passenger plane.
A taste of nostalgia: The museum features flight bags, ticket covers and wing pins that were handed to children. Mannequins sport the uniforms worn by crew members.
- “I remember when women wore gloves and hats, and men wore suits and ties to fly,” Marx said. “It was classy.”
If you go: Admission is free, but donations are suggested.
Read more about Marx’s vast collection at StetNews.org.
— Jan Norris
💵 Pay raise for Riviera Beach council and mayor
Riviera Beach City Council members voted last week to give themselves a $12,000 raise.
Driving the news: During their meeting as the board of the city’s Utility Special District, members voted 3-2 in favor of a $1,000 monthly stipend. They said it will compensate them for their work guiding Riviera Beach’s faltering water system while managing construction of a $400 million plant.
- Council Vice Chairperson KaShamba Miller-Anderson and member Glen Spiritis voted no.
In the room: The item was added to Wednesday’s agenda at the start of the meeting and decided just before the board voted on the utility district’s $44 million operating budget.
Context: Council members earn $19,000 plus a $750 monthly car allowance that brings the annual total to $28,000. The mayor and council chairperson receive $20,200 plus the car allowance, according to the city charter.
Council Member Bruce Guyton, elected this year to his fourth term after several years on the sidelines, proposed the stipends. He noted the board received $1,000 monthly payments from 2015 to 2018, when he last served.
What they’re saying: “Every year during the election cycle, I hear that the same people are running again,” Guyton said at Wednesday’s utility board meeting. “This is not about making money, but this is about (attracting) people who may have an opportunity to do other things to decide to come and give to their community.”
The other side: Miller-Anderson said she opposed the stipend when it was proposed in 2015 and she would not accept it now. She noted that the stipend bypasses voters, who have to approve any change to council members’ pay.
What’s next: Chairperson Shirley Lanier and Mayor Doug Lawson requested that the utility board meet on different days than council meetings to give members time to focus on the water projects.
- “It is just that a lot of this information is very technical,” Lanier said. “And I would like to have the time to be able to talk about that publicly.”
– Carolyn DiPaolo
🌻 A refreshed lineup at The Gardens Mall
The Gardens Mall is adding famous and luxury brands to its 140-store lineup.
The indoor shopping center on PGA Boulevard east of Interstate 95 in Palm Beach Gardens draws residents and tourists from across the region.
What’s new:
- Boll & Branch– The organic-cotton bedding company that sponsors many a podcast is in the midst of an expansion of its online business into brick-and-mortar stores. The Gardens store opened in May on the lower level near Nordstrom.
- Tecovas – The Austin, Texas, Western goods brand opened its Gardens store in August. Find leather boots that they say will be comfortable right out of the box, apparel and accessories on the upper level near Bloomingdale’s.
- YETI– Another Austin brand. The premium outdoor outfitter with an ever-expanding list of accessories opened in June on the lower level near Nordstrom.
What’s coming:
- Aroma 360, a fragrance purveyor out of Miami, plans a fall opening. The store will be on the upper level in the mall’s east wing, next to Cooper’s Hawk restaurant.
- Venchi, the century-old Italian chocolate and gelato brand, is also set to open this fall. It will be on the lower level, near Macy’s.
- Gorjana, a jewelry seller out of Laguna Beach, Calif., plans to open by the end of the year on the lower level also near Macy’s.
- J. Crew, the classic American men’s and women’s clothing store, plans to open in spring. Look for it on the mall’s lower level near Saks Fifth Avenue.
- Faherty,the family-owned clothing business with a style The New York Times once described as “surf-hippie,” plans to open in spring on the upper level near Bloomingdale’s.
What’s improved:
- Bath & Body Works– The Columbus, Ohio, bath and candle brand’s newly renovated store has reopened on the lower level near Bloomingdale’s.
- Louis Vuitton– An expanded store for the French label has opened on the upper level near Macy’s.
– Carolyn DiPaolo
❤️ Dignity Village arrives with a new answer for homelessness
Balloons fluttered in the breeze where dozens of supporters gathered last week to celebrate the opening of Integrated Healthcare System’s Dignity Village, housing to combat homelessness at Seventh Street and Sapodilla Avenue in West Palm Beach.
Why it matters: Dignity Village’s 10 apartments mark a milestone in CEO Monique Brown Faust’s 21-year pursuit to create homes for as many people as possible.
- Now, 67 people are off the streets, living in one of the apartments in Riviera Beach and West Palm Beach operated by her nonprofit.
What they’re saying: “This is one more step in our goal of 100 beds,” said Faust, known affectionately as Dr. Moe. “You believe in what we do, and I’m grateful,” she told the crowd.
Flashback: Integrated Healthcare Systems began 30 years ago as an organization called the Alpha Omega Alliance to serve homeless veterans. In 2015, the company reorganized to provide many of the services it offers today. It rebranded to its current name in 2021 and moved from Riviera Beach to the Northwest Neighborhood over the summer.
A significant advantage of Dignity Village is the on-site services that promote independence and foster recovery with primary health care, and mental health and substance abuse counseling services.
How it works: Clients are typically referred to Dignity House through local agencies. But unlike shelters, Dignity Village is a permanent home. Some clients find other housing, opening space for a new person, and sometimes clients will reunite with family, but for many, staff member Chenise Bonilla said, “We are their family and this is their home.”
The big picture: Across the street is Styx Promenade, a city project that brought six small businesses including a second-generation florist, a bookstore, a home care provider, and a soul food cafe to the street.
A Better Way Home Care owner Craig Glover is one of the Styx business owners. “I always wanted to be part of a community like this,” he said. He said Dignity Village is a place where people help their neighbors, a community of kindness promoted by Integrated Health’s compassionate work.
Keep reading to learn more about Dignity Village’s model at StetNews.org.
— Janis Fontaine
🔄 New old name for transportation board
In a bureaucratic world laced with mind-numbing acronyms, the Palm Beach Transportation Planning Agency is giving up on TPA and returning to its original moniker, MPO.
Why it matters: The agency that prioritizes hundreds of millions of dollars worth of road and transportation projects every year has been living under two names, one for official state and federal business, the other for its public-facing activities.
Catch up quick: The Palm Beach Metropolitan Planning Organization is the name the agency started with in 1977, but in 2017, when it prepared to celebrate its 40th anniversary, it rebranded with a new name, Palm Beach Transportation Planning Agency.
- Now, in preparation for its 50th anniversary, it is changing back.
Only one other MPO in the state, the one serving Leon and surrounding counties, goes by TPA. But the name here caused confusion with the public, even drawing calls to the agency from people looking for travel agents or to get a driver’s license, TPA … er MPO … Executive Director Valerie Neilson said.
It won’t cost much to make the change, Neilson told the board:
- Business cards will be refreshed gradually.
- The agency still owns its old MPO internet domain, PalmBeachMPO.org.
- Changing a few signs will cost only a few thousand dollars, Neilson said.
The board approved the change.
Read more about the agency’s decision to change its name at StetNews.org.
— Joel Engelhardt
🍊The Juice
🤖 ServiceNow, the secretly courted company promising 850 high-paying jobs to get $17 million in taxpayer incentives to set up in West Palm Beach, announced last week that it will be the anchor tenant of the 22-story tower dubbed 10 CityPlace. The company is expected to take up nearly half of the 450,000-square-foot tower, filling eight to 10 floors. (The Palm Beach Post $$$)
⚖️ More than 20 Florida cities and counties, including Delray Beach,have agreed to join a lawsuit against the state over Senate Bill 180, which freezes local planning decisions that burden or restrict development for three years after major storms. (The Palm Beach Post $$$)
🚗 Two West Palm Beach auto dealership properties sold for a combined $51.4 million to Lithia & Driveway this month. The Palm Beach Acura property at 6870 Okeechobee Blvd. sold for $27.9 million. The West Palm Beach Hyundai/Genesis property at 2301 Okeechobee Blvd. sold for $23.5 million. (South Florida Business Journal $$$)
🔎 Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia, the head of Florida DOGE, is seeking $600,000 and six full-time employees to establish the Florida Accountability and Fiscal Oversight Office to oversee local government spending. (Florida Trident)
🎬 A Tampa filmmaker is raising money to turn Patrick Smith’s novel, “A Land Remembered,” which chronicles early life in Florida, into a television series. Todd Wiseman Jr. has a commitment of $500,000 from the state toward a $25 million first-year budget and insists on filming in Florida. (WUSF)
✍🏼 Former Delray Beach Mayor Jeff Perlman’s play, “The Café on Main,” will debut Oct. 11 at the Arts Garage. (The Palm Beach Arts Paper)
🖼️ Norton Museum of Art acquires works by Basquiat, Eversley, Cassatt and others. (Art News)
🎧 “Top of Mind Florida,” the podcast by Michael Williams and Brian Crowley, dives into Florida’s push to ban vaccines with infectious disease specialist Dr. David Dodson. He expresses concern over misinformation and potential health risks while weighing individual freedoms against the health of society. (Listen here; watch after 4 pm Wednesday)
🎭 Fall season Top 10: ‘Misery,’ Rembrandt and more
Stet News writer Janis Fontaine reviews hundreds of local events every year for lists she puts together for her freelance clients.
For Stet News readers, she put together her top picks for fall entertainment. Here are three.
1. 📝 “Misery” at the Maltz Jupiter Theatre
Perfect for Halloween, see the stage production of Stephen King’s classic horror story that made Annie Wilkes a household name and forever changed the meaning of the compliment, “I’m your No. 1 fan.”
- The show takes the stage Oct. 25-Nov. 9. Tickets start at $50. Subscriptions are available.
2. 🎺 “OctoberFest: A Celebration of Music” by the Palm Beach Gardens Concert Band
This volunteer concert band features 80 of your friends and neighbors (some in their 80s) who perform because they love to play.
- The nonprofit band has been entertaining local audiences for more than 30 years, and this year, it performs “OctoberFest: A Celebration of Music” featuring a selection of Halloween music.
- 7:30 pm Wednesday, Oct. 15, at PBSC’s Eissey Campus Theatre in Palm Beach Gardens.
- Tickets are $29.75 for adults, $4.75 for ages 18 and younger.
3. 🎸 Jake Owen and Dirty Heads at iThink Amphitheater
Jake Owen and reggae-rock band Dirty Heads are co-headlining four Florida shows guaranteed to get your motor cranking and your butt out of your seat.
- The tour stops at iThink Amphitheater in West Palm Beach at 6:30 pm, Friday, Oct. 24, with guests The Original Wailers featuring Al Anderson. Tickets here.
Keep reading to see more of Janis’ top 10 picks, including Rembrandt at the Norton, by clicking here.
– Janis Fontaine
