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This Memorial Day please take a moment to commemorate all the men and women who have died while in military service for the United States of America.

This noble holiday started as an event to honor Union and Confederate soldiers who had died during the Civil War. After World War I, it was extended to include all men and women, who had died in any war or military action.  It was originally known as “Decoration Day” and fell on May 30, regardless of the day of the week on which it fell.  In 1968, a bill, known as the Uniform Holidays Bill passed, and Memorial Day became officially observed on the last Monday in May as a national holiday.

Memorial Day is not to be confused with Veteran’s Day.  Memorial Day is a day of remembering those who died while serving in…

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Canadian snowbirds may soon be able to spend two extra months nesting in their favorite spot, the sunshine state!  Each year Canadian snowbirds find their way to sunny south Florida. Currently, Canadians, aged 55 and older have a 182 day annual limit to stay in the U.S. without a visa. Winding its way through Congress is a provision that would extend that limit to 240 days – about eight months total.

Canadians represent a major boost to the economy in the U.S., particularly southern states such as Florida.  Florida recently dropped the requirement of an international drivers permit after strong objections from the Canadian Lobby.  Canadians are flocking to the sugary sand beaches of the Jupiter and Tequesta areas.   The surrounding areas are well known for…

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About 2,400 homes were damaged in the Oklahoma cities of Moore and Oklahoma City.  Some 10,000 people were directly impacted by the nearly 1.3-mile wide tornado, leveling homes and leaving a high number dead, many children.  Governor Mary Fallin said the tornado was “one of the most horrific storms and disasters that this state has ever faced.”  Oklahoma “will get through this and overcome.  We will rebuild. We will regain our strength,” she said.

The preliminary rating of damage created by the tornado is at least EF4 (winds 166 – 200 mph) – the second most severe classification on a scale from zero to five – according to the National Weather Service.  Approximately 34,000 residents of the Oklahoma City area remain without power after the powerful storm. …

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With more than 1,300 miles of coastline, it is no surprise that Florida has an active and thriving seafood industry! Florida fishermen harvested more than 106 million pounds of seafood, including grouper, mahi-mahi, pompano, shrimp, mullet, snapper and Spanish mackerel.  Florida fishermen provide 100% of the entire nation’s domestic spiny lobster and 97% of the stone crabs.  According to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services more than 85 different varieties of seafood are harvested from our coastal waters.

Florida is ranked among the top 12 in the nation for fresh seafood production.  During the past five years, the dockside value of Florida seafood has grown by more than 25% to $222 million.  According to a recent University of…

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There is nothing better than a day at the beach!  Fresh air, sun and the surf.  The ocean is powerful and unpredictable, and without proper safety precautions and lifeguards, our local Jupiter, Juno, and Singer Island area beaches can be uncertain. With summer and beach season approaching it is important to refresh the basic safety tips to ensure a safe and enjoyable day at the beach.

Palm Beach County Parks and Recreation use a colored flag system to identify beach warnings.  Green Flag: Low hazard. Conditions are calm; normal care and caution should be exercised. Yellow Flag: Medium hazard. Moderate surf currents present. (i.e.: rip current,dropofff,rocks) Red Flag: High hazard. Very hazardous rough surf and/or strong currents; swimming for experienced…

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After five grueling years, Americans are feeling optimistic about the housing market and rightly so! “National home prices have been on the uptick for eight straight months and jumped 6.3 percent year over year in October – the largest increase since June 2006” according to CoreLogic.  CoreLogic is a North American corporation providing financial, property and consumer information, analytics and business intelligence.  The company analyzes data and information to clients and government with analytics and customized data services.

Bidding wars are making a comeback here in South Florida, and many properties located here on the desirable waterfront in Jupiter, Tequesta and surrounding areas are seeing multiple offers.  Buyers need to prepare themselves…

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Did you know that there are over 21,000 public high schools in America? All three traditional high schools in Martin County ranked among “Newsweek Magazine’s America’s Best High Schools of 2013” list.   These high schools have proven to be the most effective in preparing high school graduates for college with quality education, teachers, administrators, and staff.  Congratulations to Jensen Beach High School (#969) in Jensen Beach, and  Martin County High School (#1,273), and South Fork High School (#1,322) in Stuart!

Martin County is a school district where it is not uncommon to take your child out of private school or charter school and enroll them into the local public high school.  Some advantages to the Martin County public high school system: …

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Trader Joe's, a privately held California based specialty chain of grocery stores, will open its first Palm Beach County store in the PGA Plaza and Prosperity Farms Road in Palm Beach Gardens sometime in 2014.  Trader Joe’s will be located in the southwest corner of the plaza, just west of the Marshall’s department store. The structure will be demolished and rebuilt to accommodate the 12,500 square foot market.        

 

People unfamiliar with Trader Joe’s will enjoy the laid-back vibe, cedar planked walls and Hawaiian shirts worn by employees.  The name “trader” reflects the company’s search for quirky and unique items that are good values.  They understand the importance of covering a range of options for the consumer when it comes to grocery…

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Photo Courtesty of Juno Town Council

The Juno Beach Town Council are in the initial planning stages to erect a 9/11 memorial.  An estimated $50,000 will be required to accomplish the task.  Well-known West Palm Beach sculpture/artist Mark Fuller has been selected by the Juno Beach Town Council to create the memorial sculpture.
 
Fuller is an industrial designer and has many pieces of his art on display.    The “Butterfly”, at PGA Commons on PGA Boulevard, is a very prominent and beautiful piece.   He has created 16 pieces of art for the city of Palm Beach Gardens through an ordinance passed in 1989 that requires developers of non-residential projects with construction costs of at least $1million to contribute 1 percent of the project cost to install city…

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Jupiter Inlet Colony is a quaint community located at the southern most tip of Jupiter Island. It was recently named the safest community in the state of Florida by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. In addition to being the safest place to live in the state, Jupiter Inlet Colony also offers its residents some of the best golf in the country.

dock1_4288_01One of the courses conveniently located near Jupiter Inlet Colony is the Hobe Sound Golf Club. The par 72 Joe Lee designed course was designed around preserved wetlands and massive oak hammocks. Opened in 1988 the course plays at 6,664 yards from the tips and was re-designed in 2003 by John Sanford. The extensive practice area features a spacious driving range, target greens, bunker play, and chipping and…

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