THIS WEEK IN PALM BEACH
January 20, 2017 Edition - The News Palm Beachers Need to Know 
TOWN ELECTION
Feb. 1 is Deadline to Request Mail-In Ballot for Town Election
Susan Bucher Supervisor of Elections
Susan Bucher
Supervisor of Elections
The deadline to request a vote-by-mail ballot is Feb. 1 for the upcoming Town Council elections. As of Jan. 9, just over 1,300 mail-in ballots were mailed out.
Candidates Raise Thousands for Council Race in First Week of January
Araskog Klein
Julie Araskog       Marty Klein
 
Palm Beach Town Council candidates raised a combined $12,650 during the first week of the month.
CIVIC ASSOCIATION
ANNUAL  AWARD LUNCHEON
United Way CEO Beth Walton Wins Bill Brooks Community
Service Award
Beth Walton, CEO
Town of Palm Beach United Way
The Palm Beach Civic Association held its Annual Award Luncheon on January 15, 2017 at The Breakers in Palm Beach. Iconic fashion designer, entrepreneur and philanthropist Tommy Hilfiger, who launched one of the world's most recognized lifestyle brands in 1985, was the Keynote Speaker.
Read More (Civic Association News)
Tommy & Dee Hilfiger
Tommy Hilfiger VIP Reception  a Big Hit
Right before the Annual Awards Luncheon the Civic Association held a VIP Reception at The Breakers for Tommy Hilfiger, the keynote speaker for the event.  
Bob Wright, Michele Kessler, Tommy Hilfiger
Beth Walton receives Bill Brooks
Community Service Award
UNDERGROUNDING
Palm Beach Council Weighs in on Over-Budget Utilities Project
Palm Beach officials expressed frustration last week with cost and financing problems associated with the town-wide utility undergrounding project. But, Town Council members are taking a wait-and-see approach before making any tough decisions.
BEACHES
Official: Midtown Beaches Eroding, But Sand Should Return
Midtown beachgoers haven't had much of a beach to visit the past couple weeks. Instead of a wide sandy beach, they've seen exposed rocks and small escarpments. Crashing waves and rough conditions have caused erosion in much of the Midtown area from The Breakers to south of Gulfstream Road.
TOWN COUNCIL
Palm Beach Wants Power to 
Ban Plastic Bags
Town officials hope their influence will help sway state lawmakers to allow Palm Beach and other coastal communities to ban plastic bags.
Palm Beach OKs Study for Rebuilding Docks to Accommodate Mega Yachts
New Town Docks big enough for "mega yachts" could be coming to Palm Beach, and last week, the Town Council made the first steps to see what that would look like.
Palm Beach Eyes Stricter Landscaping Hours Year-Round
Lowes Leaf Blower
The Ordinances, Rules and Standards Committee recommended Thursday that landscapers abide by some of the same hours in the summer as they do during season. 
ZIKA VIRUS
One Year Later
Is it Going Away?
The first case of the mosquito-borne Zika virus in the mainland U.S. was confirmed in Miami-Dade County by public health officials on Jan. 15, 2016. The patient had been infected in another country and then traveled here.
Read More (Sun Sentinel)
Civic Beautification Committee Tours Royal Poinciana Plaza
The Civic Association Beautification Committee toured the remodeled Royal Poinciana Plaza today. Alexandra Patterson, project manager for Up Markets conducted the tour.
Read More (Civic Association News)
WEST PALM DEVELOPS
Transit Hub's Potentially $114 Million Subsidy Nixed; New Deal Sought
Transit Village
City commissioners Tuesday withdrew their plan to give the downtown Transit Village project a tax benefit of as much as $114 million and instead directed staff to draft a new proposal more palatable to taxpayers.
Sales top $300 million at Bristol condo in West Palm Beach
The ultra-luxury The Bristol condominium in West Palm Beach has sold 60 percent of its units, which equals more than $300 million in sales for the most expensive condo ever built in Palm Beach County.

MEETINGS & EVENTS
Monday, January 23, 10:00 AM  
Civic Association Town Council Candidates Debate and Undergrounding Update from the Town 
Bethesda-by-the-Sea Church
 
Wednesday, January 25, 9:00 AM
Architectural Commission (ARCOM) Meeting
Town Council Chambers 
 
Monday, January 30, 9:00 AM
Shore Protection Board Meeting
Town Council Chambers 
 
Thursday, February 2, 9:30 AM
Ordinances, Rules, and Standards Committee Meeting
Town Council Chambers
 
Thursday, February 2, 10:30 AM - SOLD OUT!
PBCA Private Tour of the Four Arts Garden - Civic Members Only
The Society of the Four Arts, 2 Four Arts Plaza
 
Friday, February 3, 10:00 AM
Health Care Committee
Royal Poinciana Plaza
 
Tuesday, February 7, 7:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Town Election
Local Polling Place
 
Tuesday, February 7, 9:00 AM
Underground Utilities Task Force (UUTF) Meeting
Town Council Chambers
 
Saturday, February 11, 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
CPR Day
North, Central and South Fire Station
 
Tuesday, February 14, 9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Town Council Meeting-Regular Business
Town Council Chambers
 
Wednesday, February 15, 9:30 AM
Town Council Meeting-Development Review
Town Council Chambers
 
Thursday, February 16, 9:30 AM
Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) Meeting
Town Council Chambers
 
Thursday, February 16, 2:00 PM
Code Enforcement Board Meeting
Town Council Chambers
 
Friday, February 17, 2:30
Investment Advisory Committee Meeting
Town Council Chambers
MORE TRAFFIC WOES
Flagler Bridge Traffic 
Getting to-and-from City Place, I-95, and the airport isn't getting any easier from Palm Beach. Residents tell us it's worse this season.
 
The culprits are too many cars, trains, bridges and West Palm streets under construction, and traffic lights that get out-of-sync. West Palm is starting a traffic study. They said it will take a year.  Flagler Bridge representatives are predicting the bridge will be fully open in the Spring.
 
But then the Southern Blvd. bridge will begin construction, maybe as soon as April 1.  The prep work on the western side of the bridge has already disrupted traffic while water lines and fiber optic cables are moved. And as the Palm Beach Post reports below, "Construction to the Island is never over."
In West Palm Beach, Bridge Construction to the Island 
is Never Over 
Southern Bridge Drawing
As the Florida Department of Transportation nears completion of the Flagler Memorial Bridge replacement, it is preparing to start on the Southern Boulevard Bridge and its little sister stretch next to the southern White House, Mar-a-Lago.
Read More (Palm Beach Post) $
All Aboard's Brightline Train Begins Tests 
Brightline
All Aboard Florida's Brightline rail service will start testing its first passenger train this week along a 9-mile stretch of the Florida East Coast Railway tracks that runs from West Palm Beach to Lantana.
Read More (Palm Beach Post)
Donald Trump Seeks Helipad at Mar-a-Lago 
Donald Trump landed his helicopter on the grass - but the president wants to upgrade to a proper helipad.
Read More (Palm Beach Daily News)
Expert Raises Red Flags About Future of Preservation Programs
Donovan Rypkema
Donovan Rypkema
Historic preservation consultant Donovan Rypkema warned that bad news would outweigh the good during his talk. 
Palm Beach Bookstore Ad
Palm Beach County Considers One-Year Moratorium on Medical Marijuana Dispensaries
Officials say the one-year moratorium is aimed at crafting the best regulations - not keeping medical marijuana out of the hands of patients.
Read More (Sun Sentinel)
ENVIRONMENT
Katharine the Great White Shark Reappears Off Coast
Katharine the Great White Shark
Katharine, the great white shark, surfaced last week off the coast of Palm Beach.
Read More (Palm Beach Daily News)
Volunteers Remove 230 Pounds of Trash from North End Beaches
Volunteers walked the Palm Beach shoreline Saturday morning picking up trash.
Read More (Palm Beach Daily News)
French Wine Ad
SCRIPPS FLORIDA
Scripps Florida Scientists Uncover Cellular Process Behind Premature Aging 
Shuji Kishi
Shuji Kishi
Scientists from Scripps Florida  have shown how two genes "balance" each other to maintain normal cell function.
Read More (Scripps Florida)
EVERGLADES FOUNDATION
Florida Senate Begins Weighing Negron's Water Plan
Joe Negron
Joe Negron
Florida already has enough land for water storage south of Lake Okeechobee, the head of the South Florida Water Management District said.
Palm Beach Recreation Department
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Site
Palm Beach Chamber of Commerce 
To See 
Chamber Events 
Palm Beach Civic Association | 561-655-0820 | mikebrown@palmbeachcivic.org | http://www.palmbeachcivic.org

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