Stet NewsGreetings, Stetters! We’ve got a packed newsletter for you this fine morning: a charged goodbye in Riviera Beach; Bass Pro Shops wants in to Palm Beach County; voters won’t get a chance to choose Circuit Court judges; judge jumps into Sunshine dispute; help wanted at League of Cities; Okeechobee Steakhouse, but make it casual; and a study of the artist at work.
⏰ Evans’ time runs out
Jonathan Evans’ tumultuous time as Riviera Beach city manager is coming to an end.
Catch up quick: The Riviera Beach City Council voted 3-2 late Monday to give Evans notice that his four-year contract would not be renewed when it expires July 13.
Council Member Bruce Guyton led the charge with the support of Fercella Davis Panier and Glen Spiritis. Council Chair Shirley Lanier and KaShamba Miller-Anderson supported Evans.
Yes, but: After voting on the contract, Guyton sought to terminate Evans immediately, forcing a brief delay and a second round of public comment that took the meeting past 11 pm.
Why it matters: Evans overhauled city facilities, leading a $115 million, voter-supported bond issue and a $400 million water plant makeover, while drawing developers to revamp key city corridors. He also took criticism for his handling of city employees and violations at the city water plant, all amid a recently disclosed FBI probe seeking information from three council members.
Zoom in: After Evans himself suggested negotiating a mutual separation agreement, Guyton backed off on firing him and made a motion to have the city attorney negotiate such an agreement with Evans by noon Friday. That motion passed 3-2 as well.
- Under state law, Evans can get no more than 20 weeks of severance pay, City Attorney Dawn Wynn told the council. His contract has about 11 weeks left.
What’s next: The council did not say who would fill in for Evans and Evans suggested he could appoint an interim manager for the council to consider at its next meeting, May 6. No one took action on that suggestion so when the discussions ended, Evans had one question for the council:
“Just for clarity, do I come to work tomorrow?”
Yes, Lanier told him.
Read more on the council decision to oust Jonathan Evans at StetNews.org.
— Carolyn DiPaolo and Joel Engelhardt
🎣 Bass Pro Shops wants in
After giving up on Palm Beach County eight years ago, outdoors retailer extraordinaire Bass Pro Shops is proposing a two-story store in the old Jacobson’s space at Oakbrook Square on U.S. 1 and PGA Boulevard in Palm Beach Gardens.
Stet News broke the story exclusively on Monday. We haven’t heard back from Bass Pro, but in its application, it says it would replace the building with an 80,000-square-foot, two-story structure.
Why it matters: Bass Pro is known as a destination that draws customers from miles away looking for hunting, fishing, camping and boating gear. It claims 200 million visitors a year at its 200 North American stores.
Catch up quick: The site, also known as Shoppes of Oakbrook, is about a third of a mile south of the Carl’s Furniture Plaza property that Bass Pro Outdoor World bought for $5.5 million in 2014.
- Bass Pro sold the site for $7 million in 2018.
- It didn’t say why it never got built.
- Its nearest stores are about 40 miles north in Port St. Lucie and 60 miles south in Dania Beach.
Since Bass backed out in 2018, Seattle-based REI Co-op has built an outdoors store in Downtown Palm Beach Gardens, and Dick’s Sporting Goods has proposed taking over the vacant Sears location in The Gardens Mall.
What’s next: Bass Pro is asking for two waivers of the city code, one to allow more signs and the other to allow a 70-foot flagpole, rather than 25 feet. After city staff reviews, the proposal goes to the Planning, Zoning and Appeals Board before final review by the City Council.
Read the rest of Stet News’ exclusive story here.
— Joel Engelhardt
🏛️ No one wants to run against a judge
For the third election cycle in a row, no Palm Beach County circuit judge will face voters at the ballot box this year.
Driving the news: All 10 circuit judges who were up for election were swept back into office for another six years. No one had filed to run against them when the qualifying period ended on Friday.
Yes, but: There will be a contested race for a seat on the county bench. Two criminal defense attorneys – solo practitioner Jake Noble and Assistant Public Defender Schnelle Tonge – will vie to replace Judge Debra Moses Stephens, who opted not to seek a fifth term.
Like their brethren who handle felony cases, divorces and big-dollar legal disputes, three county court judges were also reelected because they, too, had no opponents.
What they’re saying: “Running a countywide judicial race in Palm Beach County is a very expensive proposition,” veteran West Palm Beach attorney Jack Scarola said. “Because there are alternatives for those with judicial aspirations, those with judicial aspirations have used them.”
The alternative is to seek gubernatorial appointment. Scarola said he objects to the process because under the last two Republican governors – Rick Scott and Ron DeSantis – it has become politicized.
Why it matters: As a result, the quality of the county’s once highly regarded judiciary is being compromised, he said. And more sitting judges get reelected without a single vote cast.
Most of the 10 circuit judges who were automatically reelected on Friday have been on the bench for years. They are: longtime Chief Judge Glenn Kelley, Rosemarie Scher, Joseph Curley, James Nutt, Carolyn Bell, Jaimie Goodman, Samantha Schosberg Feuer, Karen Miller and Charles Burton. The exception is James Sherman, who was appointed by DeSantis in 2023.
County court judges who will remain on the bench are: Reginald Corlew, who was appointed to the bench in 2006, and Mary Katherine Mullinax and Santo DiGangi, who were both appointed in 2024.
Keep reading to learn how ethics rules make elections an imperfect solution at StetNews.org.
– Jane Musgrave
📣 Why a judge spelled out ‘C-R-I-M-E’ in Lake Park case
John Kastrenakes, a senior Palm Beach County Circuit Court judge with a storied record of prosecuting public corruption in Palm Beach County, lit into Lake Park’s attorney in court last week, demanding to know why no one faces criminal charges over the town’s admitted Sunshine Law violations.
Why it matters: Kastrenakes is a former federal prosecutor who sent three Palm Beach County commissioners to prison two decades ago. His pointed questions in court on April 21 could pressure the state attorney to consider whether Lake Park commissioners involved in the closed-door meetings in 2021 and 2022 should face charges now.
What they’re saying: “Is the state attorney going to be charging someone here? Because that’s a misdemeanor under Florida law,” Kastrenakes told town attorney Travis Foels after Foels conceded the violations occurred. When Foels hesitated, Kastrenakes spelled it out:
“It’s a crime. C-R-I-M-E.”
Catch up quick: Between 2021 and 2022, the town held eight closed-door meetings to select Forest Development and work out terms of a 99-year lease allowing Forest to build a hotel, restaurant and boat docks on town-owned waterfront land and to operate the town marina.
- At least six of the meetings were illegal under state law, and recordings are missing for five of them.
Now the relationship between the town and Forest, the builder of the 24-story Nautilus 220 condos, has soured. Forest sued the town in December over slow-walking the lease.
Read more of this tale of big development in a small town at StetNews.org.
— Joel Engelhardt
🔦 League of Cities needs a new leader — again
Amelia Jadoo, hired last year to run the Palm Beach County League of Cities, resigned earlier this year after less than five months on the job.
The league is saying little about her departure: “Personnel matters are handled with appropriate discretion, and out of respect for those involved, we will not be commenting further,” said Tequesta Mayor Molly Young, the league’s board president. “We are grateful for her contributions and the commitment she brought to the role, and we wish her the very best moving forward.”
Why it matters: The league provides a unified voice for 39 municipalities on issues from taxation to transportation but is without permanent leadership for the second time in less than a year.
What happened: Jadoo, a former Palm Beach County attorney and municipal law specialist, was hired last September after a national search that drew more than 250 applicants. She resigned in February. In March, she launched a consulting firm called Anchor Exec.
- Deputy Director Je’Riise Hansen is serving as acting executive director.
What they’re saying: “The League of Cities is just a great organization and I’ll just leave it at that,” Jadoo said. “I’m pursuing some different things, just going in a different direction.”
— Joe Capozzi
🥩 Okeechobee Steakhouse, family-style
Ralph Lewis is taking his family’s Okeechobee Steakhouse restaurant legacy in a less expensive, more casual direction with Lewis Prime Grill Wellington.
- From there, it’s expected to stretch to locations across Florida.
Why it matters: The new “upscale-casual” American grills feature a modern menu, whimsical, full-colored decor, but with traditional, old-school service.
The restaurant will serve steaks, but the focus is on shareable plates and a more casual vibe that shakes off the dark and stuffy traditional steakhouse motif.
What they’re saying: As for the steaks, however, “we’re doing them just like we do at Okeechobee,” Lewis said. “We cut meats on-site, have an aging room and use the best quality prime meats from Nebraska and the Dakotas.”
Context: The restaurant takes over the former Stonewood Grill & Tavern on Forest Hill Boulevard in Wellington, which closed in 2025. Unlike the Lewis Prime Grill in Loxahatchee, it’s a more global menu with several twists, such as the chicken and churros. It’s their whimsical take on chicken and waffles.
- Lewis says residents have been begging him to put a restaurant in that area for years.
- Growth that’s spread west prompted the third generation of the family-owned steakhouse to finally put a restaurant there.
What’s on the menu: Asian sticky ribs, pork belly bao buns, crab-stuffed mushrooms and a large craft cocktail program. Wagyu and prime steaks are also served.
New and old: Lewis isn’t abandoning all aspects of the steakhouse for the modern restaurant; he’s implementing “red-carpet” hospitality as a throwback to restaurants that made dining out memorable.
– Jan Norris
🍊 The Juice
🚧 After uproar over a plan backed by developer Stephen Ross, West Palm Beach is pausing a plan to move Flagler Drive west to create a waterfront park. Last week, Mayor Keith James put out a video embracing the approach. Now, he’s suggesting residents should be consulted first. (The Palm Beach Post $$$, WPB Channel 18)
- Troubles for Related Cos.’ $2 billion Hudson Yards deal in New York City. (The New York Times gift link)
👑 Concord Wilshire Capital is the owner of the 43-acre Tuttle Royale town center, paying $60 million in a bankruptcy court sale. Local developer Brian Tuttle planned nearly a half-million square feet of retail at the site, southwest of State Road 7 and Southern Boulevard in Royal Palm Beach. (South Florida Business Journal $$$)
🚪 Boynton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency Director Chris Brown resigned this month after an investigation found he verbally and physically accosted his staff. Instead of addressing the allegations, he blasted the organization, saying its finances were in shambles, and called the work environment “hostile.” (The Coastal Star)
🥃 Roxy’s Pub, a downtown West Palm Beach mainstay, could be sold at auction over a $1.1 million debt stemming from a personal injury lawsuit. (WPBF Channel 25)
💰 Billionaires from South Florida gave away more than $1 billion last year, led by Palm Beach hedge fund founder and Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper. The majority of his gifts were directed toward food banks and education. (South Florida Business Journal $$$)
🗺️ The state Legislature will be in session starting today to consider redrawing congressional districts, installing regulations on artificial intelligence and expanding exemptions to vaccine requirements. Leaders say they will revisit the state budget during a session from May 12-29. (News Service of Florida)
🛋️ Rooms To Go, which already has a store on Okeechobee Boulevard, is seeking approval for a “superstore” on 3.6 acres at 1800 Palm Beach Lakes Blvd. The site near Target and the Tanger Outlets is occupied by a 135-room Best Western hotel. (South Florida Business Journal $$$)
🌠 Three place-making projects won $15,000 grants in a Downtown Development Authority competition.
- Downtown Stories will invite residents, business owners, artists and visitors to share personal stories and perspectives. Content will be developed into a 13-episode podcast.
- The People’s Reading Grove will host twice-monthly bookstore pop-ups, four community-led book clubs and a free monthly literary salon over the course of a year.
- Mobile Origami Studio will invite community members to create life-size origami animals representing endangered Florida species using recycled materials. (DDA release)
⛪ The church bells at Sacred Heart Catholic in Lake Worth Beach have started ringing again after an absence of more than five years. (Lake Worth Beach Independent)
🥊 Actor Sylvester Stallone played a role in booting boaters from the waterways around Palm Beach. (Florida Trident)
🐨 The Palm Beach Zoo announced the first birth of a koala at the West Palm Beach conservation center and a renovated habitat for the creatures that opened Saturday. (The Associated Press)
🖼️ Palm Beacher Frances Fisher has been appointed to the influential Florida Council on Arts and Culture. The 15-member board advises Florida’s Secretary of State Cord Byrd about grants. Palm Beach County has not had a representative on the council in about two decades. (Palm Beach Daily News $$$)
🎨 See art in the making at the annual Open Studios on Saturday and Sunday at more than 125 artist spaces across the county. (Cultural Council for Palm Beach County)
🎧 “Top of Mind Florida,” the podcast by Michael Williams and Brian Crowley, marks the 50th show by welcoming new Boca Raton Mayor Andy Thomson, who won by just five votes. Topics include the development referendum that failed and Tallahassee’s growing control over local government. (Listen now ; watch after 4 pm today)
561NSIDER: 👀 A peek behind the canvas
Few people see the studio settings of their favorite artists
The Norton Museum of Art is hosting the first solo exhibit by Sarah Bass, “Artists at Work,” showcasing sketches, self-portraits and photographs from artists throughout history.
What they’re saying: “I think this is a space to reorient yourself as a visitor and really think it’s a person that made these things,” Bass said.
One of Bass’ favorite pieces is by retired University of Florida professor Hiram Williams, titled “Big Studio Table.” Seemingly an incomplete painting, the silhouette of a table with tools and brushes fills the canvas, along with color palettes applied directly to the canvas.
Rips have been repaired and painted over, paint smeared in a way that illuminates the personality that brought Williams’ name into the Florida Artist Hall of Fame in 1994.
Other works on display include:
- “Fountain of Youth” sculpture by Bay Williams, a piece of Norton history that is restored for longtime patrons to enjoy all over again
- Multiple photographs featuring Henri Matisse, John Marin, Georges Braque and Fernand Léger in their studios
“Artists at Work” is on view through June 21.
Keep reading to learn about the restored sculpture and the first-time curator behind it all at StetNews.org.
— Erik Kvarnberg
⛱️ Nearly a staycation
Joel here. I had a great time this weekend taking advantage of the sun and sand along Miami Beach. My top three memories:
- Best highway sign heading south: “Camp in FL state parks, not the left lane.”
- Most mouthwatering lasagna ever: Piola, a casual, indoor-outdoor restaurant on Collins Avenue near 41st Street. (Note: I was not born to an Italian mother).
- Best anniversary dinner date: Donna, my wife of 39 years. Happy anniversary!
