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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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After months of discussion and debate, the governing bodies of golf have finally announced the decision to ban the anchored putting stroke. The USGA and R&A, golf’s governing bodies, announced Tuesday morning the addition of Rule 14-1b to the official rules of golf.

anchored_putt_ban_776The new rule will take effect on January 1, 2016 when the next edition of the Rules of Golf is published. The new rule states that players competing under the USGA or R&A rules will no longer be allowed to “anchor” the putter to their bodies in any way. The longer putters will not be banned but once the new rule takes effect, they will not allowed to anchored on any part of the golfer’s body.

Over the next two and a half years, golfers off all skill levels will have the opportunity to adapt…

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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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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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Photo courtesy of Getty Images

 

As we get closer to the U.S. Open at Merion Golf Club, more and more golfers have set out with the goal of qualifying for our national championship of golf.
 
Qualifying got under way on May 3rd at Admirals Cove in Jupiter. Since then, there have been 110 more local qualifiers at different locations throughout the country. While the qualifier at Admirals Cove sent five golfers to the next round of qualifying, many other local golfers have found success at qualifiers in different parts of the country.

Port St. Lucie resident Colin Amaral shot a 69 in a qualifier at the Rhode Island Country Club to advance to one of 13 sectional qualifying events. Dan Konieczny of Jupiter advanced out of the Export, Pennsylvania at…

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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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Mark your calendars for Saturday, June 29 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., at the historic Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse “Ponce Paella Party”!   This year communities all over Florida, from Stuart to North Palm Beach are recognizing the significance of the 500th anniversary of Juan Ponce de Leon arrival from Spain to Florida’s east coast, as well as Florida’s rich heritage and cultural diversity.

This paella party is destined to be a culinary delight for the palate.  Paella is a Valencian (east coast of Spain) rice dish. Many non-Spaniards view paella as Spain’s national dish, but most Spaniards consider it a regional dish. It is a delicious rice dish, cooked over an open fire, in a traditional paella pan, olive oil, onions, peppers, garlic, tomatoes, chicken,…

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People across South Florida woke up to cooler temperatures today, low to mid 60’s!  The National Weather Service is predicting cooler evening temperatures to last through the middle of the week through Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast.   These temperatures would be a perfect opportunity for you to get a garden project started.

Try to grow an herb garden this time of year. You will not believe the exquisite flavor that one fresh heirloom herb can bring to your kitchen and meals. If you have grown herbs before, or are growing some now, try a new one.  They are easy.  Start from seeds, seedling, or plant.  Put in the ground, flowerbox, or beautiful pots.
 
Be sure to plant enough to share. Herbs are amongst the easiest plants to grow.  Plant a couple of…

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