Stet News🎉 Let the good times roll with a packed newsletter on this Fat Tuesday! For you today, an alternative mayor’s ball crumbles, a new chapter for the county library, hedge fund billionaire Ken Griffin calls it as he sees it, fine dining in Lake Park, live music on wheels and a new generation steps up at a venerable fried-chicken chain.
💃🏼 💃🏼 Dueling galas
Since 2014, the Palm Beach County Mayor’s Ball has been a fundraiser for the Homeless Coalition of Palm Beach County.
This year’s mayor, Sara Baxter, had other ideas.
Driving the news: The Republican who represents the western county District 6 got behind an upstart nonprofit to raise money for law enforcement. In an interview with Stet News, she called the Homeless Coalition’s refusal to share the event’s proceeds “self-serving.”
Catch up quick: The Homeless Coalition is chaired by Baxter’s Democratic predecessor and perceived rival, Melissa McKinlay. It plans to hold its county-approved Mayor’s Ball on Aug. 29.
Baxter dreamed of holding the event at a high-profile location, first aiming for Mar-a-Lago before zeroing in on an April date at billionaire Larry Ellison’s Eau Resort Palm Beach in Manalapan.
Four backers formed a nonprofit called the Palm Beach County’s Mayor’s Ball Inc. on Nov. 18, the day Baxter became mayor. Reporters from Stet News and The Palm Beach Post began calling board members last week. They dissolved the corporation Friday.
- Board member Neil Schiller, a land-use attorney, also resigned his seat on the Homeless Coalition board.
Why it matters: The county’s contractual obligation to work with the Homeless Coalition is designed to let commissioners raise money from business leaders while avoiding overt conflicts of interest. Creating a nonprofit without county oversight sparked concerns that gala-goers could buy influence.
Zoom in: Baxter told Stet she expected Ellison would donate or underwrite the ball. Ellison is listed by Forbes as the sixth richest man in the world with a net worth of $205 billion. He recently bought Lion Country Safari and could be planning to redevelop it.
Baxter mourned the decision to scuttle the new nonprofit, saying two galas are better than one.
What they’re saying: “I think it’s a shame,” Baxter told Stet News. “They wanted to raise money for law enforcement. The Homeless Coalition could have raised money (to fight homelessness) as well. That would have been a good thing for Palm Beach County.”
Yes, but: McKinlay said two mayor’s balls couldn’t both succeed, threatening critical financial support for the homeless.
There’s so much more to this story at StetNews.org.
— Jane Musgrave
📚 New main library on drawing board
A 150,000-square-foot public library could replace Palm Beach County’s main library in suburban West Palm Beach.
Why it matters: Voters may be asked as early as November to approve a bond issue that would help pay for a $150 million library and the next multiyear phase of the library system’s building and renovation projects.
Catch up quick: The main library, known locally as the Summit Boulevard library because it’s on Summit across from the President’s Trump International Golf Club, is one-third the size of the planned building. It opened in 1972 as the library system’s first public building. Today, the county has libraries in 18 locations, an annex building and a bookmobile.
State of play: The building has reached the end of its useful life, library Director Doug Crane told county commissioners Feb. 4.
The new two-story center would be built just east of the main library. The old library would stay open during construction and ultimately be demolished to add parking.
- The building would include community meeting space for up to 600 people, a recording studio and an AI lab.
What they’re saying: “Any time you have the ability to educate the richest, the poorest, the youngest, the oldest, you’re doing a duty of service to all of us,” County Commissioner Maria Marino said. “Anything that we can do to support you in your endeavors, I think, is important.”
What’s next: Despite statewide pressure to reduce property taxes, county commissioners directed Crane to come back with proposed language for a ballot question that would ask residents of the library district to raise property taxes to help pay for the new building.
Keep reading to find out what the library district is and who would pay the tax at StetNews.org.
— Carolyn DiPaolo
📣 Ken Griffin speaks
When it comes to seizing dictators in the middle of the night, America might want to ease up, billionaire hedge fund manager Ken Griffin told a Forum Club of the Palm Beaches audience Feb. 3.
“When you are as powerful as we are, it’s important to walk softly since you carry such a big stick,” Griffin told a sold-out crowd of nearly 800 at the Kravis Center’s Cohen Pavilion. “We want to be very thoughtful about when we use that big stick.”
Why it matters: Griffin, 57, is the world’s 34th-richest person and recently moved his hedge fund operations from Chicago to Miami. He has been unafraid of criticizing the president, even as he assembled 27 acres in Palm Beach, overtaking Trump as the largest landowner on the island.
- With a net worth estimated at more than $50 billion, Griffin is one of the world’s most prolific philanthropists, having given away an estimated $2.4 billion. Locally, he has made significant contributions to the Norton Museum of Art, the Cox Science Center and Aquarium and the Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach.
Zoom out: The night before, Griffin and downtown developer and fellow billionaire Stephen Ross announced that they had launched a $10 million effort to promote South Florida as a business destination.
Here are three points from Griffin’s 70-minute conversation with Forum Club President Harvey Oyer:
- He stuck up for immigrants: “America’s ability to bring the best and brightest to our country to help run our companies has been a huge part of our success story. … When America is the destination for talent from around the world, it makes all of our lives better.”
- He supported Trump’s pick to head the Federal Reserve, Kevin Warsh: “Kevin is a well-respected economist. He has very clear views of the role of the Fed. I think he is likely to be a great Fed chairman.”
- He lambasted tariffs: “How did you feel when you would see all the CEOs go to Washington asking for a break on tariffs for their input costs? It just made you sort of sick to your stomach because American businesses, by and large, … want to win on the merits … not, ‘I’m able to ingratiate myself with one administration and then another better than you can.’”
Of note: Griffin grew up in Boca Raton, graduating in 1985 from Boca Raton High School before going on to Harvard.
Read more about what Ken Griffin says is right and wrong in this administration at StetNews.org.
— Joel Engelhardt
Editor’s note: Joel is a member of the Forum Club.
🍤 ‘Culinary prankster’ at Nautilus 220
Lake Park’s dining scene is now elevated with the waterfront additions of SeaHawk Prime by David Burke and Birdie Dockside Bar & Grill.
- The two restaurants occupy spaces on the ground floor of Nautilus 220, twin 24-story condos that opened in late December at Silver Beach Road and U.S. 1.
- SeaHawk Prime is an upscale, modern American steakhouse with a tongue-in-cheek take on the traditional surf and turf.
- Birdie Dockside Bar & Grill is a modern take on the sports bar. It is connected by the terrace to SeaHawk Prime.
Why it matters: Burke helped define modern American food and steakhouses. SeaHawk Prime and Birdie restaurants are his first properties in Palm Beach County.
- Burke brings his twist on steakhouses with a number of his patented dishes such as Clothesline Bacon and the cake pop.
- He is known as the “culinary prankster” because of his whimsical take on food.
What they’re saying: “I like to play with my food,” Burke said, describing his style. “I get all these ideas. It’s how I like to cook. Traditional, but with my own twist. I’m always thinking.”
Zoom in: SeaHawk Prime overlooks the Lake Park Marina through two-story, floor-to-ceiling windows. Garage-style doors swing up to allow the 44-seat bar indoor and outdoor access.
- Birdie features two golf simulators in addition to Burke’s special food.
And there’s more coming: Burke is seeking designated slips so boaters wanting to dine can dock at the marina. He’s also building a salt-aging room to tenderize beef. He plans a coffee shop and mini-market for the condo residents and boaters as well.
Read more about Burke’s signature dishes at StetNews.org.
— Jan Norris
🚨 Hear, hear! It’s The Concert Truck!
The Concert Truck is coming to Palm Beach County!
What’s happening: It’s a portable stage on wheels in an acoustically upgraded converted box truck that brings classical music to often underserved neighborhoods.
The truck is in town this month, visiting schools and hospitals as part of the Kravis Center’s Music on the Move initiative. Look for it Sunday at the Lake Worth Beach Street Painting Festival.
Why it matters: The Concert Truck is in such demand as a tool for community outreach and education that it took more than two years to make it happen here.
West Palm Beach residents Peter and Julie Cummings are sponsoring the Concert Truck’s visit to introduce classical music to people who haven’t heard it performed live. The performances are designed to dazzle even experienced listeners.
Concert Truck public performances:
- 11 am Thursday at the Dolly Hand Cultural Center on Palm Beach State College’s west campus at 1977 SW College Drive, Belle Glade.
- Noon Saturday at the Esperanza Community Center at 723 39th St., West Palm Beach.
- 2 pm Sunday at the Lake Worth Beach Street Painting Festival.
— Janis Fontaine
🍊 The Juice
🗳️ A Supervisor of Elections Office message sent to about 170 absentee voters indicated that Wellington Village Council candidate Lauren Brody had withdrawn from the March 10 election when only candidate Paulo Santana had dropped out. Elections Supervisor Wendy Sartory Link blamed a printer’s error, but Brody didn’t believe it. “Here I am killing myself for this campaign, doing everything I can for the people of Wellington, only for the Supervisor of Elections Office to kneecap me,” she said. (SunSentinel $$$)
- State legislators are considering the elimination of an easy, fast early-voting method in three counties — Palm Beach, Duval and Lee. (SunSentinel $$$)
🎤 Luther Campbell, the rap music icon, launched a primary challenge Sunday against Democratic U.S. Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, who is under federal indictment, for the Palm Beach-Broward 20th District seat formerly held by Alcee Hastings. (Sun-Sentinel $$$)
🔎 Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell were investigated by West Palm and Palm Beach police four years before what was believed to be the first investigation into their sexual abuse of underage girls and young women, documents show. Three students at Palm Beach Atlantic University reported that Maxwell had approached them on campus and that Epstein had touched two of them inappropriately. (The Palm Beach Post $$$, ABC News)
- 💼 Democrats on the U.S. House Oversight Committee plan to hold a hearing April 13 in Palm Beach County on the Epstein case. (The Palm Beach Post, $$$)
🤝 Lake Worth Beach and the Palm Beach County School District are considering teaming up to build an Olympic-sized pool at Lake Worth Community High School to replace the pool that closed because of outdated equipment and an iguana infestation. (Lake Worth Beach Independent)
✈️ A proposal to pay $2.75 million to rename Palm Beach International Airport for President Donald Trump is in the newly released state Senate budget, plus other nuggets from state budget proposals. (Seeking Rents)
🗣️ City of West Palm Beach and state House District 87 candidates are invited to speak at the South End Neighborhood Association meeting at 6:30 pm Thursday. The public is welcome. (SENA webpage)
⚾️ As major league pitchers and catchers arrive in West Palm Beach and Jupiter, the spotlight at the Houston Astros’ spring training is on Japanese pitching superstar Tatsuya Imai. (Sports Illustrated)
➡️ A foreclosure lawsuit over the historic Hotel Biba in West Palm Beach was withdrawn by the lender, who said filing the case was a mistake. (South Florida Business Journal $$$)
☀️ Five things we learned about the Florida Government-in-the-Sunshine Law at the Riviera Beach Planning and Zoning Board meeting. (Community Voices)
🇺🇸 A voters’ guide to the March 10 municipal elections is available from the League of Women Voters of Palm Beach County. Just put in your address to see information about each candidate in your city. (Vote 411 voter’s guide)
🎙️ “Top of Mind Florida,” the podcast by Michael Williams and Brian Crowley, focuses on local elections with Wendy Sartory Link, the county supervisor of elections. She talks about three bills affecting local elections moving through the Legislature, including elimination of Express Vote machines that could make early voting far more time-consuming. (Listen now; watch.)
561NSIDER: 🍗 New bosses at Bud’s Chicken
Bud’s Chicken & Seafood restaurant group opened its first new store in nearly 25 years Monday in the first big bet by a new generation of company leaders.
Why it matters: On Dec. 31, Bud Brinkman’s sons completed a 10-year process to hand control of Bud’s to a third generation. The Boynton Beach-based restaurant business has 250 employees and is nearly 70 years old.
Brothers Chris, Nick, Phillip and Luke Brinkman took over Bud’s six Palm Beach County restaurants. The new seventh location is in west Boynton Beach.
Catch up quick: In 2015, Bud’s owners Mark, Mike, Tim and Tom were nearing retirement age and considering options, including whether to sell the business.
Tom’s four sons raised their hands, and the family forged a transition plan.
Bud’s has thrived by sticking to original family recipes and many of its same suppliers. The quick-service restaurants are known for their Southern-fried chicken and cooked-to-order, wild-caught Alaskan cod.
Flashback: In the mid-1950s, Alphonse Phillip “Bud” and Dorothy “Pat” Brinkman packed up their five kids in the family station wagon and left Minnesota for sunny South Florida.
The family eventually settled in Boynton Beach. The first Bud’s Chicken was a tiny takeout place on Federal Highway that sold a chicken dinner with sides for 99 cents.
Bud and Pat raised their eight children — Michelle, Michael, the twins Janice and Judith, Denell, Thomas, Mark and Timothy — on hard work and fried chicken.
Zoom in: The new location is in booming west Boynton at 8801 W. Boynton Beach Blvd. Tall palm trees cast shadows on the 3,500-square-foot building, with its gleaming stainless steel and shiny white subway tile.
Zoom out: The third-generation brothers are dividing duties based on each one’s strengths: Chris is the director of finance and maintenance. Nick is the director of HR; Phillip took on marketing and operations; and Luke is in charge of facilities management.
Keep reading to learn how the business has grown at StetNews.org.
— Janis Fontaine
