Stet News⚖️ A Palm Beach County jury on Monday awarded golf legend Jack Nicklaus $50 million in a defamation lawsuit against his former company. The Nicklaus Cos. actively participated in the false publishing of facts that damaged Nicklaus’ reputation and exposed him to “ridicule, hatred, mistrust, distrust or contempt,” the jury determined. (The Palm Beach Post $$$)
💼 Billionaire developer Stephen Ross could be buying two more properties as he continues to scarf up real estate in downtown West Palm Beach: The Ben Hotel on the east side and the Clearlake office building on the west. The Ben is a popular spot when President Donald Trump is in town during the winter season. (The Palm Beach Post, $$$)
💵 The Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties announced a $10.3 million gift Monday from business leader George Elmore. Each of 26 local nonprofit organizations he chose will receive a six-figure contribution, foundation leaders said. (News release)
⛳ Seven of the 10 biggest country clubs in South Florida, by assets, are in Palm Beach County: Boca West Country Club, $197.7 million; The Everglades Club in Palm Beach, $65.3 million; Palm Beach Country Club, $45.4 million; Bear Lakes Country Club in West Palm Beach, $31.8 million; The Loxahatchee Club in Jupiter, $30.5 million; Pine Tree Golf Club in Boynton Beach, $23.1 million; and St. Andrews Club in Delray Beach, $20 million. (South Florida Business Journal $$$)
🇵🇭 President Donald Trump selected Lee Lipton, the owner of Benny’s on the Beach in Lake Worth Beach, to be the next U.S. ambassador to the Philippines. Lipton, 67, is a Mar-a-Lago Club member and a long-time Trump golfing buddy with no experience in Asia. (Lake Worth Beach Independent $$$)
🗳️ The race between U.S. Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, who represents portions of Palm Beach County in Congress, and her Democratic primary opponent, 26-year-old Elijah Manley, is getting chippy, with a public exchange at the Broward Young Democrats’ Oct. 6 meeting. (Florida Politics)Center on Flagler Drive in West Palm Beach. (The Real Deal)
🦀 Got a hankering for the succulent meat of Florida stone crabs? The first hauls of the season landed at restaurants, seafood markets and wholesalers last week. And there’s good news on the price front, with costs to consumers matching last year’s. (Sun-Sentinel, $$$)
🦩 Flamingos are making a comeback. We know that. An ecologist explains why. (The Conversation via WLRN)
🏒 🎻 Florida Panthers goal song: The Palm Beach Symphony has produced an orchestral version of “Panthers Pulse.” (YouTube)
🎧 The “Top of Mind Florida” podcast features hosts Michael Williams and Brian Crowley discussing the Sunshine State’s struggles to get mass transit right, the 2026 governor’s race and the AI revolution. (Listen here; watch after 4pm Wednesday)
