New hire
Here we go. For you today, an election that never happened, back to the waterfront, a constellation of scientists and fair favorites.
A West Palm Beach City Commission candidate said she dropped her bid for office in November after an unusual offer: A $2,000-a-month job — but only if she didn’t run.
The job offer to Martina Tate-Walker came from Glades activist Tammy Jackson-Moore, who paid Tate-Walker $1,000 in cash in November but did not pay her for work in December and January until contacted by Stet Palm Beach.
The cash payment came before Tate-Walker submitted paperwork in November to withdraw from her race against City Commissioner Cathleen Ward, handing Ward the District 1 seat without an election.
Ward and her campaign consultant, Rick Asnani, said they had no involvement in the job offer and Jackson-Moore insisted that she did not require Tate-Walker to drop her campaign.
Yes, but: Tate-Walker presented documents showing that the job to work with a faith-leaders organization to eradicate homelessness came with a pre-written withdrawal letter, addressed to the city clerk.
“If I ran for office that was it,” she recalled Jackson-Moore telling her. “I couldn’t be in the political arena. I had to be a voice outside.”
There’s a lot to unravel here. For the full story, click here.
🌊 West Palm Beach launches waterfront review
Despite adamant opposition from a key downtown voting bloc, West Palm Beach leaders are moving forward with a citywide listening tour on ways to “activate” the downtown waterfront.
What’s happening: Last week, at a City Commission work session, Jennifer Ferriol, the city’s director of housing and community development, presented the timeline for gathering resident ideas:
“Your Waterfront Your Way” meetings in February and March. The gatherings of residents from north end, south end and western city neighborhoods will be open to all.
“Walkabouts” with community leaders along the waterfront.
Email blasts and door-to-door outreach in select neighborhoods seeking survey participants.
Information in English, Spanish and Haitian Creole.
A report to the commission in the spring.
On the other side: The Downtown Neighborhood Association, anticipating the study, said in a statement it would find unacceptable any proposal that changes the park-like character of the downtown waterfront, access to it or diminishes the panoramic views of the Intracoastal Waterway.
Flashback: An outpouring of opposition to a plan for an 84-slip marina on Flagler Drive persuaded commissioners in July to terminate an agreement with private developer City Harbor.
Mayor Keith James then announced the city would seek comments on the waterfront’s future.
In December, Stet Palm Beach reported the city had signed an agreement with a Miami consultant to suggest ways to “activate” the city’s signature feature.
Between the lines: At last week’s workshop, James emphasized the study will capture voices from residents across the city. It is everyone’s waterfront, he said.
It may have been a message to the downtowners.
⭐️ Stars are out in Jupiter
If you weren’t at the Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology in Jupiter last week for its first public panel discussion since the pandemic, you missed these local stars explaining how they are working to outsmart cancer.
Patrick Griffin told how there are 200 types of cancer and 2 million cancer diagnoses every year and how smoking still figures in one of five deaths in the United States. But with researchers like those around him, he assured the audience of about 100 that there’s hope on many cancer fronts.
Courtney Miller, who studies the internal motors that cancer cells use to grow and travel, told how she, Griffin and Dr. Ted Kamenecka founded a company, Myosin Therapeutics, to stop the spread and growth of glioblastoma and pancreatic cancer cells.
Matthew Pipkin described how the immune-system approaches he specializes in are far more precise and adaptable than side-effect-prone chemotherapy.
Michalina Janiszewska told how advanced microscopy and computational biology can help track genetic changes.
Matthew Disney told how mapping the human genome shows which genes cause cancer and how to disable them using a search-and-destroy system.
Those stars of the Wertheim UF Scripps 2024 Innovation Lectures “Outsmarting Cancer” were joined on stage by the famous.
Nancy Brinker, the Susan G. Komen founder, Palm Beach resident and former U.S. ambassador, spoke of her commitment to stopping breast cancer through early detection with her Promise Fund of Florida. In two years, it has provided mammogram screening to 26,000 women.
Dr. Herbert Wertheim, who parlayed a $50 million gift in 2015 to the UF College of Engineering into $500 million, told how he brought all this star-power together over a few days in 2021 with a pledge of $100 million over 10 years.
The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, Calif., contributed $100 million cash on hand.
The University of Florida pledged $200 million and took over the Scripps Jupiter campus.
That $400 million jump-start is only the beginning toward a $1 billion scientific powerhouse, the opthamologist-billionaire-in-the-red-hat said.
“I have to raise $600 million in the next few years,” he told the audience.
Disclosure: Joel worked on a media project with Dr. Wertheim in 2023.
🍍 The juice
News with no added sugar.
🚜 Developer Dan Catalfumo won planning board approval this month for 620 more apartments, to go with the 396 nearly complete at the old Design Center off PGA Boulevard east of Interstate 95. To make room, he paid $18.3 million for an office building on the site and will take advantage of density bonuses allowed because the site is next to a proposed train station, if Tri-Rail ever switches tracks and moves north. Catalfumo is teamed with housing builder The Richman Group, which paid him $20 million for the first nearly complete apartment site. (Palm Beach Post $ and OnGardens.org)
🛞 When voters updated their driver’s licenses they were prompted to update their voter registration. But if they didn’t reiterate their chosen party, the system for years simply reregistered them with no party. State Rep. Peggy Gossett-Seidman, R-Highland Beach, has investigated the phenomenon and is sponsoring legislation to make sure it doesn’t happen again. (The Palm Beach Post)
⬆️ Tri-Rail’s soft launch of service to downtown Miami has increased from six trains to 10 trains daily. (Tri-Rail)
🧢 Amazon Prime will stream Marlins games after Amazon bought a minority stake in the parent company of Bally Sports. Heat and Panthers games could be coming to Prime soon, too. (Miami Herald $)
✍🏼 The bard at The Carlisle a senior living community in Lantana, recently passed away at 102. Catch up with Gerson Fabe’s inspirational daily poems, which he began penning after the death of his wife in 1996. (ByJoeCapozzi.com)
🌼 Writer Daisy Prince filed a long read on Palm Beachers adapting to “MAGAs with money and the nouveau riche of all stripes.” (Vanity Fair)
🎡 561 insider: What’s doing at the fair
We appreciate county fairs for their historic origins, because they celebrate community and for their ethereal nature.
What’s happening: There are still six days to enjoy the 117th South Florida Fair on Southern Boulevard west of Florida’s Turnpike.
5️⃣ Here are five reasons to go that have nothing to do with indulgent foods or hair-raising rides, although the fair has plenty of both.
🎠 $2 Tuesday: Admission, most rides and some menu items are all 2 bucks today.
🐑 Ag, ag, ag: Pay homage to one of Palm Beach County’s top economic drivers (along with tourism and construction) by visiting the fair’s farm and livestock exhibits.
The youth dairy showmanship competition is 6 pm Friday in the arena at the Kubota Ag Zone.
🗝️ Yesteryear Village: Explore the 10-acre history park at the fairgrounds and try your luck at a cakewalk.
Gospel performers fill the village church with song at 5 pm today through Friday and 10 am Sunday and Monday.
🎸 Local music: Check the daily schedule for performances.
The rock tribute band competition starts at 1:30 pm Saturday on the Coca-Cola Zero Sugar Stage with six bands and lasts until a winner is crowned.
🛍️ The expo halls: Wonder at the model railroad exhibit, take in the student artwork, chat with the friendly vendors.
🎪 Flashback: The first fair in Palm Beach County was celebrated in 1912 in a large tent in West Palm Beach near the present-day county courthouse.
Details: Admission is $2 today, $15 Wednesday through Friday, $20 on Saturday and Sunday.
We were sorry to read reports of an unruly crowd Saturday night on the midway. Five people were arrested. There were two possible stabbings. Fair CEO Victoria Chouris said the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Department will add to its formidable presence of 150 deputies this weekend.
📆 Joel is indulging in his love of history with a panel discussion focused on the MacArthur Foundation years in Palm Beach Gardens, the first of three open public forums to commemorate the city’s 65th anniversary. Former County Commissioner Karen Marcus and former PBG Council members Mike Martino and Linda Monroe will join him on stage at 6:30 pm Wednesday at the Biotech Building at Palm Beach State College’s Palm Beach Gardens campus. Sponsor is the Palm Beach Gardens Historical Society with the help of Palm Beach State College. For a little taste, click here.
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