BOCA RATON PUBLIC LIBRARY CHESS CLASS A HIT!

Kids from 7-17 have been learning the moves and strategies of chess on Saturday mornings this past summer at the Boca Raton Public Library. Chess is a game that strengthens one’s critical thinking skills. Retired educator Barbara McManus, a member of the City of Boca Raton Education Advisory Board, suggested and then supervised the classes. Other Board Members became instructors. McManus explained that chess is NOT a game of luck, but rather of the ability of the players to analyze, reason, and plan ahead and involves geometric patterns and spatial relationships. McManus hopes to coordinate another series of chess classes at the Boca Raton Public Library in the coming year. Volunteers to teach chess or participate in another way can contact Catherine Vanden Broeck, volunteer coordinator for the city of Boca Raton, at 561-393-7700.

RECENT GRANT TO HELP OUR CHILDREN

Remember the slogan, “A (wo)man never stands so tall as when they stoop to help a child?” A new Boca Raton children’s support group, the first of its kind in the US, and other schools with projects devoted to caregiving children, are among the recipients of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s $500,000 grant. About 15,000 children in Palm Beach County care for relatives with mental illness, disability or frailty, without any organized support, taking time away from their education and homework hours. The Volunteers Homebound & Family Caregivers Inc. are helping bring aid to those children, and to promote awareness of the dual role of youth who are both students and young caregivers within families. The Caregiving Youth Project will use grant money to determine whether 1,000 children are emotionally and physically healthy, get adequate education with time for homework. The funding will support 100 children in 10 schools. Among those being worked with are Boca Middle School, Congress Middle School and Lantana Middle School. Olympic Heights High School may be included. There are 192 Boca Middle School students who are caregivers.

FL DOT BEGINS CONSTRUCTION ON PARTS OF A1A

Work has begun or 2 ½ miles of Delray roadway from south of Linton on A1A to north of George Bush Boulevard. There will be alternate lane closings between 7 am and 6 pm daily through Friday, August 17th, with flaggers on site.

CAMINO REAL BRIDGE REPAIRS BEGUN

For several years discussion about repairs to the Camino Real Bridge over the Intracoastal Waterway in Boca Raton, built in the 1930’s, has been discussed, and now it has started and completion is scheduled in mid-November. Boat traffic on the ICW will be able to pass under the bridge. Painting and repair of the beams and “a different deck” are planned, to be paid for by Palm Beach County. In 1998 the county spent over $100,000 to replace gear boxes. Alternative routes include the Palmetto Park Road Bridge or Hillsboro Boulevard Bridge in Deerfield Beach. Addison Mizner designed Camino Real Boulevard, and Clarence Geist built the bridge.

LUXURY CONDOS GOING UP AT THE BOCA RESORT

One Thousand Ocean is a 52-unit luxury condominium being built adjacent to the Beach Club at the Boca Raton Resort & Club. Included within the 7-story building will be 1- and 2-story residences with beach fillas, and residence and penthouse options with flor-to-ceiling panoramic view. Prices will range from $2.75MM to more than $15MM. Over 50% of the units have been reported as sold.

WANT A HOUSE IN A WALKABLE, HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT?

Buying a house in a walkable neighborhood is good for your health and good for the environment. Homebuyers, renters, and real estate agents can find houses and apartments in great neighborhoods. Walk Score shows you a map of what's nearby and calculates a Walk Score for any property.

OCEAN LAND INVESTMENTS ENDS DEAL TO BUY BRINY BREEZES RESIDENCES

The defining issue was “density.” Ocean Land’s plan would have had a living unit density approaching 60 units per acre, which was deemed unacceptable. Then a meeting was planned for Ocean Land to meet with interested parties from the wealthyu nearby communities of Ocean Ridge and Gulfstream, but it could not be done before the date would come when a large portion of Ocean Ridge’s deposit would be non-refundable. The amount would increase from $500,000 to $5-MM. Ocean Land requested more time from the Briny Board (45 days more) to talk with neighbors, and they said “no,” so Ocean Land “pulled out.”