THIS WEEK IN PALM BEACH
September 15, 2017 Edition - The News Palm Beachers Need to Know 
HURRICANE IRMA
UPDATE 9-14-2017 4 PM
Civic Association Open
Town of Palm Beach Recovering [Video]
Police Checkpoint
The Civic Association has been open since Tuesday and we've been taking calls from residents, helping with information, and directing callers to helpful resources.
Hurricane Irma Before & After 
Photo Gallery
Hurricane Irma before and after
Dragana Connaughton was here before and after Hurricane Irma. These are her photos. Stay tuned! More to come...
Re-Entry for Residents, Business Owners, Verified Employees & Service Techs - Phase III
Re-entry

As of 4 PM today, the Town continues to be in PHASE III of our post-hurricane re-entry plan. For the safety and security of our residents and business, especially those still without power, only residents, business owners & verified employees will be permitted into Town. 
Hurricane Irma: Hundreds Defied Town of Palm Beach Evacuation Order
hurricane evacuation route
Two hours after a Palm Beach County-wide curfew went into effect ahead of Hurricane Irma's arrival, town of Palm Beach officials report the curfew is going "better than expected," Public Safety Director Kirk Blouin said this afternoon.
Palm Beach Mayor Urges Patience as Residents Start to Return to Town
Mayor Gail Coniglio
Amid all the mess that Hurricane Irma left behind in Palm Beach, Mayor Gail Coniglio is urging residents, estate managers, household workers, landscapers and business owners and their employees to fight a basic human instinct in a time of crisis - impatience.
Hurricane Irma: Palm Beach Power Outages to Last at Least to Sunday
FPL says that Hurricane Irma-related power outages in the town of Palm Beach will extend at least through Sunday, Deputy Town Manager Jay Boodheshwar said.
Hurricane Irma: Sand Lost but no Seawall Failure in Town of Palm Beach
Photo: Dragana Connaughton
A town survey of the entire shoreline from the sand transfer plant to the South End of Palm Beach was performed Monday and Tuesday after Hurricane Irma blew through and did not turn up major problems, Public Works director Paul Brazil said today.
Millions Out of Power; FPL Begins Biggest Restoration Effort Ever
FPL logo
With millions of people still without power Monday, Florida Power & Light began tackling the biggest outage event in its history, mobilizing an army of 19,500 workers throughout its 35-county territory.
Irma's Florida Aftermath by County
Full Irma Track
Days after Hurricane Irma hit Florida, flooding roads and killing at least five people statewide, an estimated 7.2 million people were without power, with full power restoration possibly weeks off.
TROPICAL STORM JOSE
Hurricane Jose's Strange Path May Bring It Back Toward 
the Bahamas and US
Hurricane Jose 9-14-17
Hurricane Jose weakened to a tropical storm Thursday as it inched closer to the U.S. mainland, but was expected to strengthen again before heading offshore up the East Coast.
MORE HURRICANES?
Peak Hurricane Season
It's the peak of the hurricane season so the Civic Association is keeping an eye on the storms. Tropical Storm Jose, expected to become a hurricane by Friday, is not expected to come to Florida and hopefully will miss the United States.

We're watching 2 more potential storms.

ZIKA VIRUS
Hurricanes Harvey and Irma to Leave Legacy of Zika-Infected Mosquitoes Across Texas and Florida
Florida Zika Virus
Hurricanes and storms can have multiple short-term impacts, from flash flooding to power outages and destroyed homes. But one longer-term effect being looked is the behaviour of mosquitoes.
CIVIC ASSOCIATION 
DIRECTORS IN THE NEWS
Dolphins Owner Steve Ross Pledges $1 Million to Hurricane Irma 
Recovery Efforts
Steve Ross
Miami Dolphins owner Steve Ross, a Civic Association Director, has pledged $1 million to immediate and long-term rebuilding efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma. In addition, the Dolphins have partnered with AARP Foundation on a dollar for dollar matching campaign, with 100 percent of the money raised going directly into Florida communities impacted by the Category 4 storm that blew through the state.
James Patterson Donates $1.75 Million to School Libraries
School libraries from Sarasota, Florida, to Bremerton, Washington, are among thousands being given $500 donations from author James Patterson, a Civic Association Director. On Thursday, the best-selling novelist and Scholastic Book Clubs Inc. told The Associated Press that 3,500 teachers nationwide will receive grants totaling $1.75 million.

MEETINGS & EVENTS
Town Council Meeting
September 19,  9:30 AM - 5:00 PM

Special Town Council Meeting on Budget
September 19,  5:01 PM - 6:00 PM
Second public hearing on the budget
Bloomberg Reports from Worth Ave. in Palm Beach
Bloomberg News reported on the aftermath of Hurricane Irma from Worth Ave. Click to see the video. 
See More (Civic Association News)
PORT of PALM BEACH
Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line offers respite to Irma refugees on ship
Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line
Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line at the Port of Palm Beach is offering a staycation - for $39 per night per person on its cruise ship - to local residents impacted by Hurricane Irma, cruise officials said Wednesday.
South Florida's Seaport Chiefs Named to Top Leadership Roles at Florida Ports Council
Port of Palm Beach
The heads of South Florida's three seaports - Port Everglades, Port Miami and Port of Palm Beach - now hold top leadership roles at the Florida Ports Council, a Tallahassee-based trade association for the state's public ports.
Florida Homeports Look to Reopen After Hurricane Irma, Cruise Ships Plan to Resume Sailing
Port of Palm Beach
The U.S. Coast Guard is in the process of surveying all the ports' damage by land, air and sea. Assessments are still underway for Port Canaveral (Orlando), the Port of Palm Beach, JaxPort (Jacksonville) and Miami. 
YACHT CAPTAIN IN COURT
Captain Makes Deal, Boating Under the Influence Charge Dropped
Thomas Henry Baker
Thomas Henry Baker Jr., 64, formerly of Belle Isle, near Orlando, entered a guilty plea today in Palm Beach County Circuit Court to willful and wanton reckless operation of vessel, according to court records. He was sentenced in Judge Mark Eissey's courtroom to 12 months probation. 
BRIGHTLINE
Construction on Brightline's Apartment Tower Tops Out
Park line
Construction on the 24-story residential tower rising next to Brightline's station in downtown West Palm Beach has reached its top elevation, marking a new milestone for the project.
Read More (Palm Beach Post)
MEDICAL MARIJUANA
West Palm Commission to Vote on Medicinal Pot Shops
West Palm Beach officials are divided whether to allow medicinal marijuana shops, or to let other towns bogart them for now and to watch the effects.
Read More (Palm Beach Post)
SCRIPPS FLORIDA
Scripps Florida Scientists Identify Compounds That Significantly Increase Healthy Aging
Laura Niedernhofer Ph.D. & Paul Robbins  Ph.D
Aging happens to everyone, but it may no longer mean a descent into disease or chronic disability. Scripps scientist identified a class of compounds, using animal models and human cells, that significantly delays the onset of several age-related symptoms and extends healthy aging-what has come to be known as "healthspan."
Read More (Scripps Florida)
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